In this module you have learnt about copyright so that you know your responsibilities.

You have learnt:

• what copyright is
• what copyright protects
• what portion of a book schools and students may copy without copyright permission
• that a 'substantial portion' is an instantly recognisable portion of a work requiring copyright permission if the portion is not used for study or review purposes.

Key information

Copyright

• Copyright is the exclusive right to authorise copying and communication of a creator's work.
• Individuals have the right to make money from the sale of copies of their work.
• Copyright also protects creative works from being used without the copyright owner's agreement.

The Copyright Act

• The Copyright Act 1968 legally grants and regulates the exclusive right of authors and creators in Australia to control the use of their work and their means to earn a living from their work.
• Copyright applies to literary, musical, dramatic and artistic works found in a wide range of media, including material found on the internet and on CDROMs.

The Educational Statutory Licence

• This licence allows students to copy parts of a book or journal for study or research reasons without seeking copyright permission.
  • Books: Up to 10% of the book or one chapter
  • Anthologies: One whole item [up to 15 pages]
  • Journals: One article

Key issues

Copyright is a form of respect for intellectual property for these three reasons:

1. Copyright protection promotes creative communities and rich cultures.
2. Copyright protection promotes freedom of speech and expression.
3. Copyright protection is morally right. It is right to acknowledge people's intellectual property and wrong to steal it.

Tips and hints

• Know the requirements of copyright.
• Check the copyright details of any material you wish to use.
• Remember that copyright works in the same way in a digital environment as it does with books.
• Be aware that a 'substantial' portion of a work is one that is instantly recognisable, no matter how small, and will require copyright permission.

See this module's resource for additional help.