Copyright law is federal law, falling under the heading of Intellectual Property law.  Copyright law gives the owner/author/designer/publisher the right to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, perform publicly and display publicly.  Copyright law gives authors/designers the exclusive right to benefit from their original works.  Anyone else has to request permission and have that permission granted in writing.

When seeking permission to reprint or reproduce from a designer, author or publisher: 

• Be very specific in your request, list chapter and page number, for example.

• Provide and an SASE and 2 copies of the request as a courtesy. 

• You must correctly identify the copyright holder.  If the person receiving your request responds that she is not the copyright holder, inquire if she knows who does hold the rights and can provide contact information.  An author, for example, may not hold the rights, having sold them as part of the contractual obligation prior to publication or the article or book.  

The copyright holder has these options once a request is received:

• Give permission to reprint, reproduce or teach, whatever the request.

• Give permission with conditions (such as required book purchases).

• Refuse permission.

• Ignore the request.  (NOTE:  Do not assume that you have permission if the holder does not respond.) 

Copyright for quilt teachers:

• Copyright law allows nonprofit educational institutions to make copies for student use.

• Recognized educational institutions are K-12 schools, colleges and universities.

• Guilds, seminars, and conventions may have nonprofit status--don’t confuse this with nonprofit institutions.  They are not the same. 

Guild newsletters must be copyright compliant:

• Magazines vary greatly in their permissions granted. Always check with the specific publication.

• Written permission must be granted before articles, patterns, cartoons and yes, even your own work, are reprinted in guild newsletters.   

• You can’t copy/print/publish copyrighted works in your local guild’s newsletter without written permission. It’s that simple. 

About videos, dvds, and blueray:

• Setting the VCR/DVD to copy a quilt program to watch after work is acceptable as long as it is for personal use only. 

• You may not make a copy, take it to your guild meeting and watch it as part of the program. 

• That then enters the realm of public performance and is not allowed without express written permission. 

Here’s what you cannot do without prior written permission:  Copy a video to share with your guild library or show the video/copy in public place (guild meeting or quilting class) or even nonpublic place if there is a large gathering of people.  The exception is that there are copies available where such permission for public display is granted in writing, but there is usually an additional cost involved. 

Works may seem freely accessible on the internet. They are not. They are protected under the law.

• Never  assume content is copyright-free.

• Read the entire website for copyright conditions.

• Assume there is copyright protection under the law, unless it is clearly stated otherwise.. 

Quilt design software:

• An exclusion to copyright law allows you to make an archival copy (for yourself) in case your original disk fails to function.

• That is only instance in which it is appropriate/lawful to make copy of a disk/CD/DVD. 

• You cannot share software temporarily by putting it onto everyone’s laptop at guild meetings or classes.  This is considered copyright infringement. 

Websites that offer additional information on copyright:

• www.lostquilts.com  Site specifically for quilters.  “Copyright Your Quilt” and “Infringing Copyright” are areas of interest.  The site explains copyright issues such as originality and public domain as they apply to quilters.

• http://sylvias-studio.com/copyright.htm  Sylvia Landman: copyright guru among quilters.  Very informative website.  Information presented in very straightforward way as it applies to quilters.

• www.stitches.com  This site is Stitches Magazine and has 5 articles on copyright that are interesting.  To access copyright information, simply go to search box and enter “copyright”. 

• www.copyright.gov  Government’s own website filled with information for consumers on copyright laws.  Not specific to quilters, however.