When discussing copyright, it is important to distinguish that from other types of intellectual property protections.

• Copyrights: protects authors of original works against theft of their ideas by others. Selected copyrighted items include books and other literature; music and sound recordings; software; and works of art. The Library of Congress' Copyright Office administers U.S. copyrights.
• Patents: protects inventors from having their ideas stolen by others. Ideas about inventions cannot be patented. Only the inventions themselves receive patents. Note: a written description of an invention that is copyrighted does not prevent others from benefiting from the invention. It only prevents others from benefiting from the description. The Office of Patents and Trademarks administers U.S. patents. See the subject guide to patents at http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/engineering/patents.html .
• Trade Secrets: Companies protect internal secrets through non-disclosure agreements with its employees. For example, the formula for Coca-Cola is a trade secret, not a patent. Thus, the Coke company does not have to file a description of its formula with the Office of Patents and Trademarks.
• Trademarks: symbols, designs, and/or colors used by entities to advertise or mark their products. The McDonalds symbol is an example. The Office of Patents and Trademarks administers U.S. trademarks.

 

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Copyright & Fair Use Web Site (Stanford University Libraries)
http://fairuse.stanford.edu
Provides access to primary materials; current legislation: legal cases; a summary of the Copyright Law; and related issues.

Copyright Issues (American Library Association)
http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/copyrightb/copyright.htm
The American Library Association summarized related topics.

United States Copyright Office (U.S. Library of Congress)
http://www.copyright.gov/
Provides an overview, as well as the full text of current U.S. copyright laws; information on how to register copyrighted works; and a searchable database of copyright records. Most Copyright Office publications are available full-text at http://www.copyright.gov/circs/ . Search the Libraries Catalog for many of the same items, plus additional ones.

United States Code Title 17: Copyrights (Cornell University)
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode17/usc_sup_01_17.html
Reproduces the copyright law, United States Code -Title 17.

 

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Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
http://strategis.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/welcome/welcom-e.html
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office administers and processes most Canadian intellectual property, including patents; trademarks; copyrights; industrial designs; and integrated circuit topographies. The following is a good overview:

• Guide to Copyrights
  http://strategis.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/cp/copy_gd_main-e.html
  Lockwood Documents CAN RG 43-27

Chapter C-42: Copyright Act
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-42/index.html
The Department of Justice of Canada provides full text of the Copyright Act, along with related regulations.

 

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European Union: Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (European Commission)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/copyright/index_en.htm
Provides official EU documents and news related to copyright issues in the European Union, as well as links to other international intellectual property groups.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
http://www.wipo.int/
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the UN agency responsible for promotion and protection of intellectual property throughout the world. It administers multilateral treaties dealing with legal and administrative aspects of the subject. The WIPO Web site provides the full texts of its treaties ( http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ ). See ASL subject guide, Treaties and Other International Agreements at http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/busdoc/treaties.html for additional data about international agreements. See also:

• Collection of Laws for Electronic Access (CLEA)
  http://www.wipo.int/clea/en/
  Covers foreign national and international laws about all aspects of intellectual property.
• WIPO Intellectual Property Handbook: Policy, Law and Use
  http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/iprm/

Additional Information

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (University at Buffalo. Law Library)
http://law.lib.buffalo.edu/PDFs/IntellectualProp.pdf
Lists introductions to the subject, legal practice guides, and related journals.

Patents, Copyright, and Intellectual Property (University at Buffalo. Arts and Sciences Libraries)
http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/engineering/patents.html
Describes major databases, national and international patent offices, copyright and patents, commercial patent services, and related UB services and policies.

 

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