Complete Copyright: An Everyday Guide for Librarians

Citation

McCulley, P.M. (2006), "Complete Copyright: An Everyday Guide for Librarians", Library Management, Vol. 27 No. 3, pp. 192-193. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120610652941

Carrie Russell, the copyright specialist for the Office for Information Technology Policy of the American Library Association (ALA), is the author of Complete Copyright, a new and timely guide to copyright in practice. Carrie draws on her more than fifteen years experience as a practicing librarian and speaker role to tame the intricacies of copyright law – and done with an entertaining and visually appealing style. Her articles on copyright appear in major journals, and she writes a popular monthly column “Carrie on ©” in School Library Journal.

Complete Copyright covers common, intricate, and the newer digital copyright issues and conundrums – using real‐life examples to make the points. In addition, there's good information and illustrating examples about new laws such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). There's even a section to help librarians prepare classes or workshops for staff or others on copyright matters. And, the entire work is aimed at librarians directly – those dealing with these matters on a daily basis in their work and environments.

The book manages a light touch on a difficult topic by interlacing the colorful graphic illustrations, characters, and sidebars into the text. As provided by graphic novelist Jessica Abel, these “storyboards” represent librarian‐user scenes, where the copyright questions come up and are answered. You'll meet Lola Lola (Head Librarian), Peter Kahn (Professor), a college junior, and a 5th Grader. It's all part of making the copyright stories and sometimes surprisingly complex issues come alive, and provide guidance and clarity in the process.

Each of the book's eight chapters focuses on a special aspect of copyright, and begins with an illustrated and illustrative story from the real‐world of libraries, staff, and users; for example, Chapter 3 is “Veronda Donates Books and Videos to the Local Library”, which provides the grounds for exploring “first sale” issues, and using copyrighted works in teaching and performances. The other chapters cover copyright basics, fair use, Section 108, interlibrary loan, course packs, artistic works, print and electronic reserves, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (1998), internet and web issues, permissions, licensing, treaties, plagiarism, and advocacy.

The appendices (“Resources”) section provides portions of the copyright law; “fair use” guidelines; and, selected copyright court cases. The book concludes with a fine glossary, bibliography, and a good index – all in a lay‐flat spiral bound format for easy use.

Overall, this is one of the few good, and current, books on copyright, and it hits the mark for those wishing to be up‐to‐date on this changing area. Another ALA title, Copyright Essentials for Librarians and Educators, by Kenneth D. Crews, covers more strictly legal territory than Russell's, but Essentials is a bit dated now (published in 2000). From a policy and historic perspective, the IFLA document on copyright and intellectual property (www.ifla.org/II/cpyright.htm) provides a better international focus, while Copyright for Teachers and Librarians (2004, Neal‐Schuman), by Rebecca P. Butler, is also good and recommended.

But, for a general work aimed at working librarians and information professionals, Russell's work is the best and most accessible I've seen. It is an everyday guidebook for the savvy copyright‐wise librarian, and it would be a great addition to most librarians' reference shelves or desk copy collections. As Russell notes in her preface, “the goal of Complete Copyright is to provide you with that [copyright] foundation.” Mission accomplished, ALA and Russell and team.

Interestingly, the text of the book is released under a Creative Commons Deed License, and may be used in copies and distributions under certain conditions. I congratulate Russell and ALA for extending this work into future use, and life. Highly recommended.