Developing a copyright policy

[Lesley Ellen Harris <lesleyeharris@comcast.net>]

An abbreviated version of a recent article I'm working on...hope 
it's   helpful!

Lesley
Lesley Ellen Harris
www.copyrightanswers.blogspot.com

Developing a Copyright Compliance Policy

A copyright policy can serve a variety of functions, from 
determining who owns works created during employment, to 
explaining your licenses, to establishing a procedure for 
clearing permissions in copyright- protected works.  Generally 
speaking, a copyright policy is a summary of copyright management 
procedures for your organization. Depending on the contents of 
the policy, it can also be an educational tool and serve as 
reference material on copyright issues relevant to your 
organization. Another purpose of a copyright policy is to provide 
a single, consistent approach to copyright issues.

Although it may initially be read cover to cover, a copyright 
policy is more likely to be consulted on an as-needed basis, so a 
strong index and/or search tool is recommended to ensure its 
effectiveness. A policy should always be ?live? and be reviewed 
and updated periodically to reflect changes in copyright law, 
technology, organizational policies, and the way in which you use 
copyright- protected materials in your organization.

Write your policy using plain, straightforward language, not 
?legalese.? Keep in mind that this is a document for management, 
staff and librarians in your organization, not for your lawyers. 
If a lawyer prepares your policy, make sure those who will use it 
can understand it. If a non-lawyer prepares it, ask a lawyer to 
review it for accuracy.

Getting Started

Copyright policies exist in a variety of forms, styles and 
lengths, and writing one may seem like a daunting task. Where do 
you begin? First, read copyright policies from other 
organizations. Next, prepare an outline of the important issues. 
Gather all those in your organization who deal with copyright 
issues, whether it?s permissions, protection, digital licenses or 
other matters, and obtain their input. Then, pick a section and 
start writing.  Be patient?copyright policies are not created 
overnight, and writing one may take many hours of hard (and 
perhaps frustrating) work.

Before you begin writing your policy, think of the different 
headings that may be relevant to your organization. Headings for 
a policy may include the following:

--Purpose of this policy
--A primer on U.S. copyright law and international copyright law
--Permissions procedure
--Protecting copyright-protected works created in your enterprise
--Questions and answers about copyright
--Updating your policy: Timing and procedure
--Reference section
--Internal contacts for copyright matters