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by Gary Becker or those a t t e m p t i n g to a d h e r e to the guidelines of the copyright law, confusion s o m e t i m e s a r i s e s w h e n one finds t h a t the m a terial they wish to u s e is no longer in p r i n t or in production. A logical a s s u m p t i o n would be t h a t if the material is no longer being produced, t h a t its use or r e p r o d u c tion would not do a n y h a r m to the copyright holder. However, it is very clear t h a t a work t h a t is outof-print [or production) does not d i m i n i s h the rights g r a n t e d a copyright holder for the protection of t h a t work, n o r does it convey a n y additional rights to the end u s e r of the material. A u t h o r s are g r a n t e d protection for their works for a period of their life, p l u s fifty years. The fact t h a t the work is no longer in p r o d u c t i o n does not negate the a u t h o r ' s rights. There is no r e q u i r e m e n t , u n d e r the c u r r e n t copyright law, t h a t the rights g r a n t e d an a u t h o r are conditioned u p o n w h e t h e r or not the m a t e r i a l is actively being m a d e available. Therefore, a n institution, library or a n individual m a y n o t a u t o m a t i cally proceed to m a k e copies or

MEBIR REVIEWS

F

Gary Becker is the Supervisor of Instructional Applications for the Seminole County Public Schools in Sanford, Florida, and since 1975, as an avocation, has been a national, copyright law consultant. He has published several reference works for libraries and educators on copyright law, as well as videotapes to be u s e d for information and training. You m a y request order information or p o s e questions utilizing the following. Toll f r e e phone/voicemail: 888-333 -203 7; fax: 888333-2037; e-mail: gbecker@ earthlink.net; P.O. Box 951870, Lake Mary, FL, 32795-1870. 2

TECHTRENDS

Dan 5ur&l [email protected]

utilize copyrighted m a t e r i a l s , no longer available, to a n y g r e a t e r extent t h a n t h a t p e r m i t t e d u n d e r the law. A s s u m i n g t h a t there still is a need to r e p r o d u c e or u s e the m a terial, one m u s t follow all of the guidelines for works u n d e r copyright protection. However, if there is a desire to m a k e more copies of a now u n a v a i l a b l e work, or to u s e the item more extensively t h a n the copyright guidelines permit, it will be n e c e s s a r y to seek p e r m i s s i o n . A r e a s o n a b l e investigation s h o u l d take place to e s t a b l i s h who is the the c u r r e n t copyright holder. The s e a r c h s h o u l d utilize commonlyknown trade sources, if the h o l d e r is not clearly identified on t h e p u b l i c a t i o n page of the work. Keep copies of all c o r r e s p o n d e n c e a n d r e t u r n envelopes to d o c u m e n t t h a t an a t t e m p t h a s b e e n m a d e to p u r sue copyright permission. If neces-

This column is sponsored by the AECT Copyright Committee and is coordinated by Esther R. Sinofsky, Chairperson. Dr. Sinofsky is a library media teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Articles are designed to address the questions and concerns of our members regarding copyright issues in education and training. Questions and suggestions for topics for future issues are welcome. Write to the Copyright Committee through the AECT Headquarters Office in Washington, D.C.

sary, one m a y p u r s u e o w n e r s h i p by r e q u e s t i n g t h a t a s e a r c h t a k e place. One of the s o u r c e s for s u c h a s e a r c h is the Copyright Office. For a fee of $ 20.00 p e r hour, t h e y will provide i n f o r m a t i o n as to the c u r r e n t holder. (However, this ass u m e s t h a t the i n f o r m a t i o n h a s b e e n r e p o r t e d to their offices.) Direct y o u r r e q u e s t s to: Reference a n d Bibliography Section LM-451 Copyright Office, Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 20559 (202) 707-6850 Other s o u r c e s for p e r f o r m i n g copyright s e a r c h e s , all with a fee, are: G o v e r n m e n t Liaison Services, Inc. 3030 C l a r e n d o n Boulevard Suite 209 Arlington, VA 2 2 2 0 1 - 2 8 4 5 (800) 642-6564; (703) 524-8200 Thomson & Thomson Copyright R e s e a r c h G r o u p 1750 K Street, NW Washington, DC 2 0 0 0 6 - 2 3 0 5 (800) 356-8630; (202) 8 3 5 - 0 2 4 0 Let u s now a s s u m e you have m a d e a good faith a t t e m p t to t r a c k down the c u r r e n t owner of the m a terial a n d s u c h an owner c a n n o t be found. You have logged y o u r c o n t a c t s a n d s e a r c h e s , have k e p t d o c u m e n t a t i o n as to r e t u r n e d request letters t h a t no longer are able to be forwarded. C a n y o u safely now go a h e a d a n d utilize the m a t e r i a l in the m a n n e r y o u d e s i r e d ? As i n d i c a t e d earlier, the a u t h o r ' s rights do not d i m i n i s h w h e n the m a t e r i a l is no longer in production. As a result, if p e r m i s sion is n o t received, it c a n n o t be a s s u m e d t h a t one m a y proceed. It m a y be a r g u e d t h a t with a p p r o p r i ate d o c u m e n t a t i o n a n d a good faith a t t e m p t at m a k i n g contact, MARCH

1998

t h a t it s h o u l d b e p o s s i b l e to go a h e a d w i t h a project. In t h i s instance, one would be playing the o d d s a s to w h e t h e r or n o t t h e y would be potentially carrying out a n a c t of c o p y r i g h t i n f r i n g e m e n t . In a d d i t i o n to t h e p r e c e d i n g s t e p s , if y o u r d e s i r e is to s i m p l y find a s o u r c e for a c q u i r i n g m o r e c o p i e s of t h e m a t e r i a l s no longer available, there are some excellent r e s o u r c e s for d o i n g so t h a t m a y b e found on the Internet. There are n u m e r o u s s o u r c e s for p u r c h a s i n g print, audiovisual, computer and m u s i c w o r k s t h a t m a y be f o u n d o n t h e Web. T h e following site a c t u a l -

ly p r o v i d e s l i n k s to o t h e r s i t e s w h i c h offer l i s t i n g s of o u t - o f - p r i n t b o o k s a n d w h e r e t h e y m a y b e obtained: www.libertynet.org/~delcolib/ books.html T h e n e x t site n o t o n l y p r o v i d e s l i n k s to s o u r c e s for o u t - o f - p r i n t b o o k s , b u t a l s o lists a n u m b e r of s t e p s one s h o u l d t a k e in t r a c k i n g down materials no longer available for p u r c h a s e . T h e a u t h o r of t h i s site h a s a d d r e s s e d it specifically to l i b r a r i a n s a n d t h e i r staffs, p a t r o n s , educators, and others. www.netexpress.net/~mblock/ bookbyte/getbooks/getbooks.htm

Utilizing a single s e a r c h engine, s u c h a s "Alta Vista," or a m u l t i s e a r c h engine, s u c h a s www. looksmart.com, and entering the s e a r c h s t r i n g "out of print," o n e will find a v e r y large l i s t i n g of s o u r c e s for o u t - o f - p r i n t b o o k s a n d o t h e r m e d i a f o r m a t s a n d h o w to obtain those materials. In c o n c l u s i o n , o u t - o f - p r i n t , is

not o u t - o f - c o p y r i g h t ! P r o c e e d w i t h c a u t i o n , b u t d o n ' t give up. T h e r e a r e s o u r c e s for m a t e r i a l s no l o n g e r in p r o d u c t i o n a s well a s t h e p o s s i bility of o b t a i n i n g r i g h t s from t h e c o p y r i g h t holder. G o o d luck. 9

A

tYe. 616 s

By J e n n y J o h n s o n 4 6 8 p a g e s (1998); S o f t b o u n d ISBN 0 - 8 9 2 4 0 - 1 1 4 - 1

Available from AECT Pubilcatlons 1 0 2 5 V e r m o n t Ave., NW, Ste. 8 2 0 W a s h i n g t o n , DC 2 0 0 0 5 202.347,7834; fax 202,347.7839

PLEASE SEND

This directory, formerly Graduate Curricula in Educational Communications and Technology, has been updated and revised to inctude undergraduate programs. With more than 200 U.S. and foreign schools listed, this directory is a definitive source of information for faculty advisors and students. Details include courses, program duration, graduation requirements, and more make this book a must for every high school and college library. A 3:5" MSDOS disk is included with instructions.

COl:~ies) of Degree Curricula in Educational Communications

and Technology: A Descriptive Directory (6th Ed/t/on) @ $ 3 6 + $ 3 . 5 0 S & H Name

InsfltuUon Address City, State, Z i p _ Phone

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TECHTRENDS 3