The New Copyright Law

One of the most important treatises on the subject in Canada for scholars, practitioners, policy analysts and students alike. The book has been cited as a leading authority by all levels of courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

In this book, leading scholars analyze the important role played by copyright exceptions in economic and cultural productivity.

In the age of easily downloadable culture, messages about copyright are ubiquitous. If you’re an artist, consumer, or teacher, copyright is likely a part of your everyday life. Completely updated, this revised edition of Canadian Copyright parses the Copyright Act and explains current Canadian copyright law to ordinary Canadians in accessible language, using recent examples and legal cases.

In the summer of 2012, the Supreme Court of Canada issued rulings on five copyright cases in a single day. The cases represent a seismic shift in Canadian copyright law, with the Court providing an unequivocal affirmation that copyright exceptions such as fair dealing should be treated as users’ rights, while emphasizing the need for a technology neutral approach to copyright law. The Court’s decisions, which were quickly dubbed the “copyright pentalogy,” included no fees for song previews on services such as iTunes, no additional payment for music included in downloaded video games, and that copying materials for instructional purposes may qualify as fair dealing. The Canadian copyright community soon looked beyond the cases and their litigants and began to debate the larger implications of the decisions. Several issues quickly emerged. This book represents an effort by some of Canada’s leading copyright scholars to begin the process of examining the long-term implications of the copyright pentalogy. The diversity of contributors ensures an equally diverse view on these five cases, contributions are grouped into five parts. Part 1 features three chapters on the standard of review in the courts. Part 2 examines the fair dealing implications of the copyright pentalogy, with five chapters on the evolution of fair dealing and its likely interpretation in the years ahead. Part 3 contains two chapters on technological neutrality, which the Court established as a foundational principle of copyright law. The scope of copyright is assessed in Part 4 with two chapters that canvas the exclusive rights under the copyright and the establishment of new “right” associated with user-generated content. Part 5 features two chapters on copyright collective management and its future in the aftermath of the Court’s decisions. This volume represents the first comprehensive scholarly analysis of the five rulings. Edited by Professor Michael Geist, the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, the volume includes contributions from experts across Canada. This indispensable volume identifies the key aspects of the Court's decisions and considers the implications for the future of copyright law in Canada.

An updated guide to Canadian copyright law for an age of reckless infringement This fourth edition of Canadian Copyright Law brings you the latest updates according to new Canadian legislation and international agreements. Copyright infringement has always been an invisible crime. Now with near-constant access to the Internet and the mainstream explosion of digital formats, copyright is one of the most important issues for creative professionals, consumers of that media, and those who work in related industries. The line between what is protected and what is "free" is blurring further, and the copyright issues are more complex than ever. Provides a complete update on copyright issues relating to digital media. Takes the convoluted legal jargon of the Canadian Copyright Act and sets it out in everyday language. Provides concrete examples to offer further clarification of complicated matters. Whether you are a creator or user of copyright material, Canadian Copyright Law will keep you current on copyright law in Canada and its applications to your situation—to protect your creations, content, and products in these rapidly changing markets.

Copyright law never sleeps, making it imperative to keep abreast of the latest developments. Declared “an exemplary text that seals the standards for such books” (Managing Information), this newly revised and updated edition by respected copyright authority Crews offers timely insights and succinct guidance for LIS students, librarians, and educators alike. Readers will learn basic copyright definitions and key exceptions for education and library services; find information quickly with “key points” sidebars, legislative citations, and cross-references; get up to speed on fresh developments, such as how the recently signed Marrakesh Treaty expands access for people with disabilities and why the latest ruling in the Georgia State University case makes developing a fair use policy so important; understand the concept of fair use, with fresh interpretations of its many gray areas that will aid decision making; learn the current state of affairs regarding mass digitization, Creative Commons, classroom use and distance education, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and other important topics; receive guidance on setting up on a copyright service at a library, college, or university; and find many helpful checklists for navigating copyright in various situations. This straightforward, easy-to-use guide provides the tools librarians and educators need to take control of their rights and responsibilities as copyright owners and users.