Updated August 2013
Copyright touches us all. What we read, what we see, what we hear, and, what expressions we can create, are implicated by copyright. Given the outward complexity of the law, this can appear quite daunting.
The good news is that the very nature of creative effort is protected within the law. Creativity is instinctively collaborative; when we create, we draw from the work of others. The limited reach of copyright allows for this creative instinct to continue. In the 4th edition of Mediascapes, I explain, “in broad brushstrokes”, the limits within copyright that enable it to function as a system; see here for more details.
Years of reading has brought many enjoyable books to my attention. High on the list of favorites is a slender, unpretentious book, An unhurried view of COPYRIGHT (1967), by Benjamin Kaplan; see here.
Other useful books:
Copyright Law, by David Vaver. Published by Irwin Law, 2000. (Another edition has since been published)
Copyright Law in Canada, by Sunny Handa. Published by Lexis Nexis Canada, Inc., 2002.
Canadian Copyright, A Citizen’s Guide, by Laura J. Murray and Samuel E. Trosow. Illustrator, Jane Burkowski. Published by Between the Lines, 2007. (A second edition is also now available– I look forward to seeing it soon!)
CAUT Guidelines for the Use of Copyrighted Material, by Canadian Association of University Teachers, 2011.
Fair Duty 