This September 29, 1976, report of the joint Senate-House of Representatives Conference Committee contains the amended text of a proposed new copyright law. An explanation of the specific points of conflict in the House and Senate versions of the bill and the resolutions suggested by the Conference Committee are appended. As reported out of the…

Under previous copyright legislation and jurisprudence, medical, and to a lesser extent, educational professionals, were afforded broad discretion under the judicially created fair use doctrine. The Copyright Act of 1976 creates a statutory definition of fair use and prescribes a test to be used in determining when a use is "fair" and…

The copyright law of the United States is amended in its entirety by this act that takes effect in 1978. Literary works; musical works; dramatic works; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works; motion pictures and other audiovisual works; and sound recordings are included in the subject matter of copyright.…

The second article in a four-part continuing education course on legal issues affecting libraries and librarians addresses the issues of liability insurance, malpractice, and copyright laws pertaining to print materials and computer software. (12 references) (CLB)

The Copyright Act of 1976 provides statutory definitions of fair use and in general is restrictive of the use of film and video in an educational setting, reflecting a general "copyright owner's" point of view. Film distributors are enforcing and planning to continue to enforce their rights under the law. There is a general concern that…

This article, written before report to Congress by Register of Copyrights was issued, examines whether balancing of rights of creators and needs of users has been accomplished by Copyright Revision Act of 1976, and reviews key issues in dispute between librarians and publishers over use of copyrighted materials in libraries. (EJS)

This circular has been published to satisfy requests by librarians and teachers for information concerning responsibilities, obligations, and limitations under the new copyright law. Pertinent sections of the law, plus minimum standards of educational fair use for books, periodicals, and music, and guidelines on interlibrary loan arrangements for…

Senate Bill 22, the proposed new copyright law, specifies in chapter one the subject matter and scope of copyright. It also defines the terms used in the bill and formulates limitations on the exclusive rights of copyright holders. These limitations include the "fair use" of copyrighted work by reproduction for noncommercial educational use,…

Reviews selected proposals for revision of Canadian Copyright Act which relate to copyright exemptions, fair use, reprography, copyright societies, materials for the disabled, computerized information systems, collective works, public renting rights, paternity right, and right to authorize. Modifications in the interest of libraries are suggested.…

Photocopying guidelines of the 1976 amendments to the Copyright Act have been further legitimized by a 1982 settlement involving New York University. Important recent developments concerning videotape copyrights include the 1981 guidelines of the House Judiciary Committee and the 1984 United States Supreme Court case, "Sony Corporation v.…

The radical revision of the Copyright Act by Congress more than a decade ago removed many broad educational and nonprofit exemptions. "Guidelines" for copying materials for classroom use in educational institutions included within the published legislative history of the 1976 Act are provided. (MLF)

Discusses issue of photocopying of unpublished personal papers by archives and manuscript repositories at request of individual researchers. Historical rationale for common-law protection, support for statutory law protection, ambiguities in fair-use provisions, effects on photocopying, survey of manuscript repositories, and dissatisfaction with…

Discussion of the issue of copyright regulation highlights 1909 statute, 1976 Copyright Act, those affected by copyright, "Betamax" case, and responsibility of Congress in copyright regulation. Creation of federal administrative agency to design standards for application of fair copyright principles through regulation and adjudication is…

Analysis of the Supreme Court ruling on the SONY Betamax case regarding videotaping television programs for home use discusses major implications for schools, including what constitutes private home use and time-shifting. Ways educators can make time-shifted videotapes legally and implications for microcomputers and copying computer programs are…

A major problem area under the 1976 Copyright Act that needs clarification, if not revision, concerns the use of photocopied copyrighted materials in classrooms. (Author/MLF)