A Baker’s Dozen for Copyright Research
Since this week starts Slaw’s First Theme Week, what better way of welcoming researchers than to provide a start to a pathfinder on Copyright research. We welcome comments to add to this list so that we could at the end build a resource that could have value beyond May Day.
To get the ball rolling I offer a few modest links, which demonstrate the richness of the materials available.
Let’s start with doctrine: – Current copyright literature
Next to Genie Tyburski and the wonderful Virtual Chase – Virtual Chase Legal Research guide: Intellectual Property Law
From Slaw’s own Ted Tjaden, some Canadian links – Intellectual Property Law – Canada
Pausing only to suppress my occasional cynicism about the length of time that Canada’s policy-making on copyright has been going on, at least they have good resources explaining the process – Copyright Reform Process
A few comparative links: the United Kingdom – Copyright on the UK Patent Office Site
Next New Zealand – New Zealand Copyright Law
How to do research on Australian copyright law – Intellectual Property Research in Australia
Now two important US sites: first the authorized version – The US Copyright Office
Next, a wonderful site that reflects some of Larry Lessig‘s thinking at Stanford – The Stanford Copyright and Fair Use Center
And finally, reflecting the fact that so much law in this area reflects not domestic policy-making, but hard-fought international consensus, an Index to what the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a United Nations agency has accomplished – WIPO Index
And to conclude with an American and a European take on international copyright, since I was just in Chicago, look at Irene Berkey’s links – International Intellectual Property
and finally a European source (actually it’s Swiss, but that’s not obvious
And finally, a nice and quirky piece on the oddities of copyright called – Digital Copyright & Copywrong by Peter Jacso.
Now dear Slawers, what obvious links am I missing?
Well it’s obvious, now waking up, what’s missing.
Any recognition of the bicultural nature of Canadian law. I’m not aware of any particularly rich site on droit d’auteur offered by Quebec law libraries – feel free to poke my ignorance – but a good collection of sources on Canadian copyright reform is at Association des bibliothèques de recherche du Canada found at http://www.carl-abrc.ca/projects/copyright/copyright-f.html
From Paris – Centre national des arts plastiques found at http://www.cnap.fr/infopro.php?id_theme=10
A French think tank – Institut de recherche en propriété intellectuelle
Henri-Desbois – at http://www.irpi.ccip.fr/
More from readers please
The ALA has a new and developing site, Copyright Advisory Network, that might be helpful for those who are just coming to the topic. Their chart/matrix explaining public domain in the U.S. is interesting — and illustrative of problems in the area.
Another good source is the background material to Bill C-60 (38th parliament – 1st session) on Library of Parliament website at http://www.parl.gc.ca/LEGISINFO – it contains useful summaries of the draft bill form the last session before the federal election and links to suggested readings.
As we write, there isn’t that much about IP in Quebec. The only thing I found is the list of websites on the Editors association of Canada’s website.
If any Slawyer goes to the next International IP Forum, maybe there will be some good hints on what’s out there?