PUBLISHED WORK - COPYRIGHT LAW - PUBLIC SERVICE INFORMATION
Since many of us have extended our love of the Labyrinth into products, books, articles, pictures, etc. This site strives to recognize the ownership and authorship of all types of information used herein. We try to give "credit" where pictures or drawings have appeared based on the best of our knowledge. If any "author" feels that the copyright, trademark or credit is not accurate, please contact us and we will issue the correction immediately.
We strive to honor the authors and creators, as we would want our products and creations to be honored. Since the information in this site will be compiled into a book, many objects will have the copyright symbol on them. I have made it my practice to grant users the use of this information, but with the requirement that you acknowledge the writers or contributors of the work. Let's remember to respect each other's work.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) AND ©COPYRIGHT LAW & AUTHORSHIP
It has come to my attention that many people do not understand this law and how it affects the production and distribution of created and co-created products.
I have consulted with a prominent Law Firm that specializes in Intellectual Property or what is called, IP. This branch of law covers copyrights and trademarks of written material. Lawyers will tell you that when it comes to finding out the truth about how copyrights, authorship or trademarks work, you must consult an IP lawyer because they specialize in this branch of the law.
Because many of us are creating products, and co-creating products, I want to share the information that has been given to me as a Public Service. Intellectual Property covers any form of written material including, books, articles, drawings with instructions, cards, charts, etc.
The use of copyright is to acknowledge the work or collaboration. Those that contribute, in whatever form, are known as the creators or co-creators i.e. author or authors of the work. Using a copyright is to give public notice of the entitlement of same, and list the creator(s) and author(s) who worked to create it.
Any co-creator is entitled to duplicate the product, but they are obligated to keep the original copyright names of the co-authors in tact. It cannot be changed to any one company name, unless the other authors are part of said company and agree in writing. Each author can sell the said products independently, but are bound to divide the profits in equal shares if there are other co-creators or authors involved in its' creation, for life of the person(s) involved.
In no way does any previous collaboration bind or otherwise limit a person from creating new independent products in the future, even if similar in nature. An author is not required to share in the profits of these independent solely created new products if created on their own. Previous co-creators or their heirs cannot lay claim to any independent work.
Plagiarism is the act of taking the exact language out of a work, reproducing it and misrepresenting it as solely your own.
Below are pertinent parts of the 'legal description' from the U.S.Government website:
Copyright protection under the copyright code (Title 17, section 102, U.S. Code) extends only to "original works of authorship." The statute states clearly that ideas and concepts cannot be protected by copyright.
§ 106A. Rights of certain authors to attribution and integrity.
(A) Rights of Attribution and Integrity.- Subject to section 107 and independent of the exclusive rights provided in section 106, the author of a work
(1) shall have the right- (A) to claim authorship of that work, and
(B) to prevent the use of his or her name as the author of any work which he or she did not create;
(2) shall have the right to prevent the use of his or her name as the author of the work in the event of a distortion, or other modification of the work which would be prejudicial to his or her honor or reputation; and
(3) subject to the limitations set forth in section 113(d), shall have the right-
(A) to prevent any intentional distortion, mutilation, or other modification of that work which would be prejudicial to his or her honor or reputation, and any intentional distortion, or modification of that work is a violation of that right, and
(B) Scope and Exercise of Rights.-Only the author of a work has the rights conferred by subsection (a) in that work.
The authors of a joint work are co-owners of the rights conferred by subsection (a) in that work for life, unless they have given a written statement relinquishing or selling their part of the co-ownership.
§ 201. Ownership of copyright
(A) Initial Ownership.-Copyright in a work protected under this title vests initially in the author or authors of the work. The authors of a joint work are co-owner of copyright in the work for life.
(B) Works Made for Hire.-In the case of a work made for hire, the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared is considered the author for purposes of this title, and, unless the parties have expressly agreed otherwise in a written instrument signed by them, owns all of the rights comprised in the copyright.
Transfer of Ownership.-
(1) The ownership of a copyright may be transferred in whole or in part by any means of conveyance or by operation of law, and may be bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by the applicable laws of intestate succession.
(2) Any of the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright, including any subdivision of any of the rights specified by section 106, may be transferred as provided by clause (1) and owned separately. The owner of any particular exclusive right is entitled, to the extent of that right, to all of the protection and remedies accorded to the copyright owner by this title.
To request Copyright Office circulars and application forms,
write to:
Library of Congress
Copyright Office
Publications Section, LM-455
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
