DFP Article: About Copyrights

ABOUT COPYRIGHTS

WHY COPYRIGHT MATTERS:
The general purpose of copyright law, as it pertains to literary works, is to protect the use and sale of the intellectual property of authors during their lifetimes and for a reasonable period thereafter. Without this protection, no author would be able to profit from their own work. Without the ability to profit from a work, there would be no incentive for authors to write books or for publishers to produce those books. In other words, without copyright law protection most new book production would cease.

BASIC COPYRIGHT PROTECTIONS:
In basic, copyright law guarantees that copyright owners (i.e. authors) have the legal right to determine where, when, and how their works are published. Authors can self-publish their works or contract them to publishers. Works under exclusive contract with a publisher cannot be printed and distributed by another party without the publisher's consent. Printing books without author and publisher consent is copyright infringement and punishable by law. [ See Title-17, Chapter 5, Section 504 ]

DFP COPYRIGHT POLICIES:
Dragonfly Publishing, Inc. authors (and contracted artists) retain full copyright to all contracted works and are required to provide proof of copyright. For copyright forms and information, see the U.S. Library of Congress at www.loc.gov. Choose Copyright Office and then go to Forms. Copyrights can now be registered online at a lower price. See the U.S. Copyright Office at: www.copyright.gov/ .

PRINT EDITIONS AND COPYRIGHT:
It is illegal to create copies in any format of a copyrighted book or to re-bind the book in any fashion for the purpose of distribution, either for profit or for free, without permission from the publisher and all copyright holders. Legally purchased print editions may be re-sold as used books, but they may not be re-bound in any format for any reason.

EBOOK EDITIONS AND COPYRIGHT:
Computer digital editions of written works, i.e. eBooks, are sold under a Single User software license, which means they are for exclusive use of the initial retail customer and may not be copied, re-sold, swapped, or distributed by any means to any other persons or business enties for any reason, nor may they be altered in any way. In other words, it is "always" illegal to alter, copy, or distribute eBook editions of works still under copyright protection.

COPYRIGHT LAW GOVERNING DURATION:
Circular 92 - Chapter 3 - §302 Duration of Copyright: Works created on or after January 1, 1978: (a) In General. Copyright in a work created on or after January 1, 1978, subsists from its creation and, except as provided by the following subsections, endures for a term consisting of the life of the author and 70 years after the author's death. | See: Title 17 (Circular 92) Chapter 3 (opens in HMTL)

COPYRIGHT LINKS:
| US Copyright Office | US Copyright Law (Title 17) | US Library of Congress | US Copyright Law - Circular-92 (PDF) | Copyright Help and FAQ | Protected Works - Circular1 (PDF) | Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) | Also visit the Copyright Alliance website... | NEW: Also visit the Center for Social Media site for information on current "fair use" laws... |