In providing these guidelines, it is the intent of Hofheimer Library that all members of the VWU Community adhere to the provisions of the US Copyright Law (Title 17, US Code, Sect. 101). This document constitutes a "manual" for those who wish to reproduce, alter, or perform works that are protected by copyright. Since copyright protection applies to a variety of creative works--printed material, sound recordings, video recordings, software, and others--these guidelines have been constructed to address issues related to particular media.
Copyright is a form of legal protection for authors of original works including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, film, and other intellectual products. Publication is NOT essential for copyright protection, nor is the well-known copyright symbol ©. The owner of the copyrighted work has the exclusive right to do and give others permission for the following:
The copyright owner holds these rights, even when the work itself belongs to someone else. However, these rights are not absolute; they are subject to the Fair Use Doctrine and medium-specific limitations.