History of U.S. Copyright
Association of Research Libraries (ARL). (n.d.). Copyright timeline: A history of copyright in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.arl.org/focus-areas/copyright-ip/2486-copyright-timeline
- Details key legislative events, including many court cases, that contributed to the development of copyright law in the United States.
- Provides a deep overview of copyright history and how it has evolved over time (e.g., broadened scope, lengthened terms, technological developments).
- Many cases described are relevant to work in libraries.
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Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). (n.d.). Law and technology timeline. Retrieved from https://www.teachingcopyright.org/download/tc_law_and_technology_timeline.pdf
- Contains two timelines in one, showing the relationship between technology and copyright from 1400 to 2007.
- As libraries continue to provide services utilizing newer technologies (e.g., 3D printing), this will serve as a reminder to stay informed about developments in copyright law.
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Fogel, K. (2005). The surprising history of copyright and the promise of a post-copyright world. Retrieved from http://questioncopyright.org/promise
- A lengthy, but interesting, article describing how copyright began as an outgrowth of government censorship activities in sixteenth-century England.
- Sheds light on the underlying motives of publishers around this time to lobby for the preservation of copyright.
- Provides a thought-provoking viewpoint of the early history and development of copyright, as well as thoughts on the future of copyright with the advent of the Internet.
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Geller, P. E. (2000). Copyright history and the future: What’s culture got to do with it? Journal of the Copyright Society of the USA, 47, 209-264. Retrieved from http://www.criticalcopyright.com/Geller-Copyright_History-Future.pdf
- The purpose of this article is to provoke thought and discussion about future copyright lawmaking.
- Covers the history of copyright by breaking it into three periods - pre-copyright, classic copyright, and global copyright.
- Provides another viewpoint of how and why copyright came to be, and the players that were involved.