Title: Complete Copyright for K-12 Librarians and Educators by Carrie Russell.
Reviewed by: John Meyerhofer, CMLE Information Specialist
Quick Take: Complete Copyright for K-12 Librarians and Educators by Carrie Russell is a resource that no K-12 Librarian should be without. The book covers the topics of copyright, fair use with practical scenarios and plenty of “what-if” situations.
Review: The Complete Copyright for K-12 Librarians and Educators by Carrie Russell book begins with a look at what is copyright. The text is very readable and not overly technical. It certainly doesn’t read like how a lawyer talks. One of the best parts of this section are the “Misconceptions”
These address some of the things you might not know about copyright by dispelling some of copyright myths.
Next Russell moves on to Fair Use. We learn that the four factors of Fair Use are: purpose of the use, nature of the work, amount used, and effect on the market for the work. These are however just guidelines not the law. Frequently, the book will have quick question pull-outs that give practical advice to real questions:
After Fair Use, the next two chapters are spent talking about video use in schools and digitizing textbooks. In both cases we learn more about how much is too much and when it’s appropriate. Again Russell provides real world scenarios to talk about the issues and provide answers to common questions.
For the K-12 Librarian, actually any librarian, the Complete Copyright for K-12 Librarians and Educators by Carrie Russell belongs in your library!