A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects by
What do the Mona Lisa, the light bulb, and a Lego brick have in common? The answer - intellectual property (IP) - may be surprising, because IP laws are all about us, but go mostly unrecognized. They are complicated and arcane, and few people understand why they should care about copyright, patents, and trademarks. In this lustrous collection, Claudy Op den Kamp and Dan Hunter have brought together a group of contributors - drawn from around the globe in fields including law, history, sociology, science and technology, media, and even horticulture - to tell a history of IP in 50 objects. These objects not only demonstrate the significance of the IP system, but also show how IP has developed and how it has influenced history. Each object is at the core of a story that will be appreciated by anyone interested in how great innovations offer a unique window into our past, present, and future.
Permissions, a survival guide: blunt talk about art as intellectual property by
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then it's a good bet that at least half of those words relate to the picture's copyright status. Art historians, artists, and anyone who wants to use the images of others will find themselves awash in byzantine legal terms, constantly evolving copyright law, varying interpretations by museums and estates, and despair over the complexity of the whole situation. Here, on a white--not a high--horse, Susan Bielstein offers her decades of experience as an editor working with illustrated books. In doing so, she unsnarls the threads of permissions that have ensnared scholars, critics, and artists for years. Organized as a series of "takes" that range from short sidebars to extended discussions, Permissions, A Survival Guide explores intellectual property law as it pertains to visual imagery. How can you determine whether an artwork is copyrighted? How do you procure a high-quality reproduction of an image? What does "fair use" really mean? Is it ever legitimate to use the work of an artist without permission? Bielstein discusses the many uncertainties that plague writers who work with images in this highly visual age, and she does so based on her years navigating precisely these issues. As an editor who has hired a photographer to shoot an incredibly obscure work in the Italian mountains (a plan that backfired hilariously), who has tried to reason with artists' estates in languages she doesn't speak, and who has spent her time in the archival trenches, she offers a snappy and humane guide to this difficult terrain. Filled with anecdotes, asides, and real courage, Permissions, A Survival Guide is a unique handbook that anyone working in the visual arts will find invaluable, if not indispensable.
Bound by Law? Tales from the Public Domain by
Comic book. A documentary is being filmed. A cell phone rings, playing the Rocky theme song. The filmmaker is told she must pay $10,000 to clear the rights to the song. Can this be true? Eyes on the Prize, the great civil rights documentary, was pulled from circulation because the filmmakers' rights to music and footage had expired. What's going on here? It's the collision of documentary filmmaking and intellectual property law, and it's the inspiration for this comic book. Follow its heroine Akiko as she films her documentary and navigates the twists and turns of intellectual property. Why do we have copyrights? What's "fair use"? Bound by Law? reaches beyond documentary film to provide a commentary on the most pressing issues facing law, art, property, and an increasingly digital world of remixed culture. Readers can download a pdf of the book here.
The creation of information and products requires a commitment of time, original thought, and resources that need to be respected by those seeking to use these products, or create their own work based on the work of others. Information is intellectual property produced for all different purposes. Its value is based on various factors such as the producer, intended audience, and the content. Both creators and consumers of information have responsibilities to ethically use information.
"Copyright is a form of legal protection that provides authors of original creative works with limited control over the reproduction and distribution of their work." --April Hathcock
Copyright is a way to balance the rights of the creator with the public good over the control of intellectual property.
Under copyright law, creators have the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute their work as they see fit for a period of time. Then, the work is released into the public domain; where anyone can use, adapt, or reproduce the work without getting permission or paying a fee.
Some creators are using Creative Commons licenses as a "free, simple, and standardized way to grant copyright permissions for creative and academic works; ensure proper attribution; and allow others to copy, distribute, and make use of those works." (creativecommons.org)
It is the intent of Otis College of Art and Design Library to adhere to the provision of the US Copyright Law (Title 17). The law is complicated, particularly as relates to educational and fair use. Below are useful sites which present various aspects and interpretations of compliance with the law to assist faculty, students, and the entire Otis Community who use copyrighted materials, text, and images for lectures, as well as for artmaking and on Otis' websites. Please educate yourself!
Everyone posting in The Nest is legally and ethically responsible for adhering to copyright laws. By uploading material to O-Space, you personally assume all legal responsibility for infringements. Course Readers should be used for all required readings. Articles should not routinely be scanned for O-Space.
The Library contracts with several database publishers and vendors to provide these resources to Otis College students and faculty for educational use only. They are made available to at no charge, but are subject to the conditions of the licensing contracts between Otis College and the publishers.
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