Copyright Awareness Month - April 2004

Two years ago The Copyright Society of the U.S.A. launched  Copyright Awareness Week; in April 2004 it is launching Copyright Awareness Month. The mission of Copyright Awareness Month is to create a greater awareness among the youth of America about the protection and use of creative works. During Copyright Awareness Month, copyright experts and educators throughout the country will seek to teach people about the basic purpose of copyright as articulated in our Constitution-- to promote the advancement of the arts by providing creators with the exclusive rights to their works for limited terms. A public that has a basic understanding of copyright law and its relationship to the arts -- including its fair use exceptions -- is far more likely to respect and comply with the law, than one that functions on misinformation.

The Copyright Society of the U.S.A. is a non-profit educational organization with 900 members located in Chapters throughout the United States. Our primary function is the gathering, dissemination and interchange of information concerning the protection and use of creative works, such as music, movies, television, books, illustrations, sculptures, paintings and photographs. The Society seeks to promote a better understanding of copyright through its lectures, publications, panel discussions and meetings, and to enhance dialogue among educators, industry groups, creators and users of works protected by copyright.

Now more than ever, familiarity with copyright will play a crucial role in maintaining the vitality of the arts in the United States. Music, literature, theatre, television, film, illustration and the fine arts enhance our lives. These crafts tell us who we have been and help us to define who we are. It is impossible to imagine life without the arts. What kind of world would it be if no one could make a living writing songs or books, drawing pictures and in which producers dared not invest in new playwrights, or publishers in novelists?

Copyright law ensures that the creators of our cultural heritage will be fairly compensated for their works. It enables the creators, producers, publishers and distributors of artistic works to control whether, how and when their works of art are used. Copyright provides incentives to creators by reassuring them and those who invest in their works that others will not use the fruits of their imaginations without fair compensation and/or rightful credit.

Copyright law takes on a particularly important role in the digital age, now that the consumer can copy music, books, films, illustrations and other creative works at home more easily than buying them in the store. If copyrights are to be protected in the digital age, copyright law needs to be understood and respected. This is particularly true with the younger generations. It is our belief that, by fostering an understanding of copyright law, including those activities which are prohibited and those that are permitted as fair use, a greater respect for copyright and the creators it protects will naturally follow.

Copyright Awareness Month will target students and educators. Copyright Society members will be called upon to speak in local schools, colleges, universities, libraries, arts and educational associations and other organizations about the importance of copyright. Throughout the nation, copyright experts and educators will distribute materials and speak in schools and other educational institutions about the importance of copyright law in our society.