Copyright
is a right of ownership attached to an original
work. The U.S. 1976 Copyright Act gives the copyright
owner the exclusive right to -- reproduce,
adapt, distribute, publicly perform and publicly display
a work. The copyright owner or holder is often the creator
of the work but not always.
The PURPOSE of copyright is to balance the rights of copyright
owners with the rights of the
public to access and use original
works. Ensuring rights for both parties promotes the sharing
of information and allows for the creation of new ideas, which
in turn encourages the advancement of knowledge.
Copyright
impacts your right to copy materials, whether the material
is a journal article or a graphic from a web site.
The law is complex, but ignorance is no defense. It is important
to be aware of copyright
law whenever you consider copying, using, or distributing
others' works.