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If you ask a librarian to help you with copyright, just like medicine, and the librarian seems aloof, it's not because we don't want to help you.
The truth is that copyright is complex and involves law, institutional policy, and general legal concepts. Librarians must be very careful to not provide legal advice. When it comes to copyright, a librarian can help you understand options available to you and direct you to information resources. But when it's time to interpret legal copyright questions and situations, you should consult with an attorney with a background in copyright law. If you have specific legal questions about institutional policy, copyright, or intellectual property, related to your work at WVU please contact the Office of General Counsel or the Office of Innovation and Commercialization.
If you have a question about the limitations of library information service, please feel free to ask.
Libraries often deal with copyright and other intellectual property issues, whether on behalf of their communities (faculty, students, staff, other patrons) or in their day-to-day operations.
If you have questions about copyright in any of the following areas or activities, we can help.
Copyright is a form of intellectual property.
The U.S. Copyright Office defines copyright as
(Source: U.S. Copyright Office, "Copyright Basics")
Copyright includes literary and artistic works, such as
Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and television programs.
