The Complete Copyright Liability Handbook for Librarians and Educators (Legal Advisor for Librarians, Educators & Information Profes) (Legal Advisor for Librarians, Educators & Information Profes) [Paperback]

Tomas A. Lipinski (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1555705324 | ISBN-13: 978-1555705329 | Publication Date: February 1, 2006 | Edition: 1

This must-have comprehensive guidebook covers copyright issues for Web sites, distance learning, circulating software, e-books, and more. It both explains and provides tools for managing institutional exposure for copyright risk-management and covers: direct, contributory, and vicarious infringement, immunity, damage remission, notice provisions, and more. Tomas Lipinski offers his expertise on copyright liability issues specifically aimed at libraries and information centers. Current, practical, and authoritative, Lipinski includes discussions of the DMCA, TEACH Act, and other recent legislation as well as sample notices, policies, and audit tools.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This is the first entry in a new series, the Legal Advisor for Librarians, Educators, and Information Professionals. Lipinski, who coauthored The Library Legal Answer Book (ALA, 2003), is the series' editor as well as author of this title, which is divided into five parts. Part 1 examines the three types of liability: direct, contributory, and vicarious copyright infringement. Part 2 addresses penalties and immunities and includes a chapter on Section 512, "Safe Harbor." Part 3 explores the impact of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Part 4 proffers three ways to limit exposure to copyright liability, covering reproduction, interlibrary loan, circulating software, and distance education. Part 5 provides compliance tools: a copyright compliance audit, an implementation checklist for Section 512 registered agents, and 16 sample copyright policies. Each chapter ends with "Real-World Examples," "Key Points for Your Institution's Policy and Practice," and extensive endnotes. The book delves deeper into liability than most others and is an important read for those setting policy. Keep the highlighter at hand when reading! Esther Sinofsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Lipinski's background and experience in law and librarianship is evident...this work is highly recommended for American libraries of all types...Dr.Lipinski has added an extremely important and valuable book to this area of study. --Reference Reviews, Vol.22, Number 7

The book is a crucial addition to any librarian's personal copyright library. --Journal of Access Services

Covers in detail all the legal copyright issues that might arise in an academic setting. --C&RL News

Product Details

• Paperback: 413 pages
• Publisher: Neal Schuman Pub; 1 edition (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555705324
• ISBN-13: 978-1555705329
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,751,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Less useful than other books on the subject (yet more expensive), September 18, 2009

By 

Kungfu Librarian - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Copyright Liability Handbook for Librarians and Educators (Legal Advisor for Librarians, Educators & Information Profes) (Legal Advisor for Librarians, Educators & Information Profes) (Paperback)

Certainly, it is comprehensive (sort of). However, it is organized around the different sections of copyright law, which seems counterintuitive given the book's supposed purpose, and its index is surprisingly limited. For instance, if you are interested in fair use of images, you'll be hard pressed to find an index entry for this -- there is no entry for "image" or "images" and no sub-entry for this under "fair use." In fact, index entries for "fair use" are shockingly small, which seems remarkably odd since this is the topic of concern for academics/educators/librarians, the target audience of this publication. While some librarians can navigate the different sections of copyright law, most may not know under which section certain types of media will be discussed...if you want to use this book, you'll have to know this. This aspect makes it useless as a quick reference item, or even just a reference item. In reading the 400+ page book, it occurred to me that the authors don't necessarily clarify much -- often they simply paraphrase copyright law, or worse, quote it heavily by way of explanation...which sort of defeats the purpose of purchasing a book on the subject.

If you or your staff are not well versed on copyright in general or on its organization, you'll want to try another book. Try: Library's Legal Answer Book, Fair Use Free Use and Use by Permission, The Copyright Permission and Libel Handbook, or Getting Permission (by Stim).

As such, I did not find this a useful book to give my staff, and faculty/students will never read something so unpalatable and verbose.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An in-depth and detailed understanding and study of the very intricate process and practice of valid and legal copyright, April 5, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Copyright Liability Handbook for Librarians and Educators (Legal Advisor for Librarians, Educators & Information Profes) (Legal Advisor for Librarians, Educators & Information Profes) (Paperback)

The Complete Copyright Liability Handbook For Librarians And Educatorsby Tomas A. Lipinski, J.D. is an in-depth and detailed understanding and study of the very intricate process and practice of valid and legal copyright. Introducing the reader to the nuances and significance of direct infringement and an accurate depiction of copyright infringement with the innovation of modern technology and the practice in whole, The Complete Copyright Liability Handbook For Librarians And Educators explores the decency of copyright workers in a scholarly and acute manner. The Complete Copyright Liability Handbook For Librarians And Educators is very strongly recommended to all professional copyright workers for its precise and definitive presentation of every detailed understanding and perceptive grasp of the copyright business exclusively found within its contents.