Re: Copyright issues in multimedia

>I'm new to this list so please forgive me if this is a question that
>has been asked already.

I think I asked a similar question about two years ago . . . I, too, would be interested in any updates other list-readers might have.
>
>I support multimedia development on campus here at North Dakota State
>University. This is our first year of providing training and
>availability of equipment to faculty for developing multimedia. The big
>question that comes up in all of our discussions lately is the issue of
>copyright.

>
>If a professor wants to "capture" parts of a videotape they own to use
>in their multimedia module, is that okay? What about sound? What issues
>are involved when someone wants to scan pictures from a book or 35mm
>slides they have?

Just because somebody "owns" (as in paid money for) a video, sound recording, slide, or other medium, this DOES NOT mean they own the rights to copy and/or distribute it (usually they explicitly DO NOT have that right).

I recently re-entered the multimedia world--to my knowledge, not much has changed (somebody please tell me something has!?) Most of the people I work with who produce multimedia instructional packages either compose their own music, stage their own videos, take their own slides, or make absolutely sure they are using material clearly in the public domain. Otherwise, they ask permission from the publisher or original author/artist/composter. When they do ask it gets pretty sticky because no one knows what the ramifications will be if permission is given to reproduce part of a pre-existing film which goes into a multimedia module which may be available for sale or distribution to students, faculty, others.
>
>I am a novice when it comes to the copyright act and its laws pertaining
>to fair use and educational use. Could someone point me in the right
>direction as far as resources are concerned? What books or journals
>should I be looking at?

A couple of years ago I put together a hypercard stack with a very basic bibliography on multimedia and copyright. It desperately needs updating, but one basic source I cited then was "Intellectual Property Issues in Multimedia Productions," by Stephen Ian McIntosh as reprinted in _The Hypertext/Hypermedia Handbook_ New York: Intertext, 1991 (edited by Emily Berk and Joseph Devlin).

In searching the online catalog at Cornell, I found the following recent title which is on order here so I cannot give any comments about it: _Multimedia : law & practice_ by Michael D. Scott. Englewood Cliffs, NJ : Prentice Hall Law & Business, c1993. The Library of Congress subject heading for this book is "Multimedia systems industry--Law and legislation--United States" The catalog notes indicate that the book has bibliographical references. I'm sure there's a ton of other stuff in periodicals, via gopher servers, etc., etc.

Have others setup procedures for handling such
>things (I run the equipment that actually captures the video, scans the
>slides, etc...) - I assume if I allow people to capture video that I
>should also make sure that they have permission to do so.

One last comment about your assumption here . . . I have colleagues who have thought this one over and do not see it as their responsibility to "make sure" users have permission--they see it as the users responsibility to secure permission before hand. Hopefully others will respond with real-life policy examples
>
>Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any tips.
>
>Ellen
>
>*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
>Ellen Yu Borkowski Internet: eborkows[_at_]plains.nodak.edu
>Instructioanl Multimedia Coordinator
>ITS, 201A IACC Office Phone: (701) 237-7140
>North Dakota State University Fax: (701) 237-8541
>Fargo, ND 58105
>
>"Experience IS NOT what happens to you;
> it is what YOU DO with what happens to you" - Aldous Huxley
Mary-Beth Bunge
Project Coordinator and Archivist
Digital Access Coalition
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853

v. (607) 255-3530
f. (607) 255-9524
e. mbb3[_at_]cornell.edu