[HANASHIR:5204] Re: Copyright Campaign

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

Steve:

Actually, I find copyright filing a simple and easy process. Forms are
available on the web from the US Government, and also through the BMI and
ASCAP web sites. In fact, most of these forms are available in a PDF
(Acrobat) format that allows you to save field data and thus produce a
series of forms in which all the information is the same except the name of
the actual work being copyrighted. Both the Copyright Office web site and
the BMI web site (along with other musician's assistance type web sites) all
have simple, easy to understand information about which forms to use (as
well as their own work registration forms) for what purposes. The copyright
forms are far easier than tax forms.

Yes, a workshop on filing copyright, making forms available, is a great idea
and I'll follow it up. Might not even be a bad subject at Hava Nashira
itself, too.

However-the main thrust of this campaign is to educate educators against the
blatant copyright abuse that takes place. Are we all guilty of it-probably
yes. However, many of us are taking steps to minimize these abuses.

I believe we need to insist that the UAHC, USCJ, OU, CCAR, RA, UTJ and other
Jewish congregational organizations begin to promulgate clear directives to
member congregations, rabbis, educators, etc. that abuse of copyright is a
violation of both Jewish and civil law, and will not be tolerated. That will
be another focus of this campaign.

I work, on ocassion, at the library at Vanderbilt. They have very strict
controls, and, frankly, very little if any illegal copying gets done.
Copyright enforcement can work. Sure, we students grumble at inconvenience,
but we deal with it. As Jews, we are obligated to deal with it, and it's
high time we lived up to that obligation.

Adrian


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
> shamash(dot)org]On
> Behalf Of Ketzev2 (at) aol(dot)com
> Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2000 4:48 PM
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: [HANASHIR:5199] Re: Copyright Campaign
>
>
> Adrian & Colleagues--
>
> Having seen the documentation for  that one needs to fill out for
> copywritting material, I can tell you first-hand that it is
> cumbersome and
> imposing, and tedious to boot. Perhaps a good way to help to
> begin to protect
> each others work would be to make materials and forms available
> (ASCAP and/or
> BMI forms too maybe?) at the conference for all to properly
> utilize. If we
> take these first steps, we are all better off, and better protected too.
>
> As far as the duplication and xerox problems are concerned, that is a
> completely different ethical and moral issue. We are all abusers......
>
> The actual forms are something that we can each benefit from
> though. (Those
> of us who have done this paperwork already know what I mean.)
> The legalities
> and illegalities should be dealt with, but how do we enforce it?
> I certainly
> haven't found a good answer for people who blatant about their abuse.
>
> I will tell you this-- The Catholic Church will NOT allow thier Music
> Directors to xerox  music for their choirs. The have paid heavy fines for
> these infringements and policed themsleves quite closely. While I am sure
> there are still abuses to this situation, they are committed to stop this
> type of behavior. It would be wonderful if we could follow their lead....
>
> Steve Dropkin
> Birmingham, AL
> Singer/Songwriter/Performer/Teacher


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