Copyrights

About Copyrights

While current U.S. copyright law automatically protects an author's work as soon as it is written, I always encourage the addition of a copyright on each page of text. I suggest this because my university professors drilled it into me, and also because, sadly, I have seen one author derailed from publishing because of innocent infringement and internet distribution. It is much more difficult and painful to do damage control after infringement than it is to prevent it.

Usually the copyright can be found in the footer of a document and contains the copyright symbol, the year and author’s name. It is important to make sure your work is protected before you distribute it to others for feedback or review.

Excerpts from Copyright Basics

From the U.S. Copyright Office

Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is “created” when it is fixed in a copy for the first time.

Notice of Copyright

The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U. S. law, although it is often beneficial. Use of the notice may be important because it informs the public that the work is protected by copyright, identifies the copyright owner, and shows the year of first publication.

Furthermore, in the event that a work is infringed, if a proper notice of copyright appears on the published copy or copies to which a defendant in a copyright infringement suit had access, then no weight shall be given to such a defendant’s interposition of a defense based on innocent infringement in mitigation of actual or statutory damages, except as provided in section 504(c)(2) of the copyright law. Innocent infringement occurs when the infringer did not realize that the work was protected.

Form of Notice for Visually Perceptible Copies

The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain all the following three elements:

2. The year of first publication of the work. In the case of compilations or derivative works incorporating previously published material, the year date of first publication of the compilation or derivative work is sufficient. The year date may be omitted where a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, with accompanying textual matter, if any, is reproduced in or on greeting cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or any useful article; and

3. The name of the owner of copyright in the work, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner.

Unpublished Works

The author or copyright owner may wish to place a copyright notice on any unpublished copies or copies that leave his or her control.

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