Copyright question (edited with answer!)

[snbunch]

Yes, another copyright question.

 

If I borrow a crochet book from a public library, and make photocopies of patterns for personal use only, is that breaking copyright laws or not?

 

Edit: I've recently learned from a librarian that laws state that one may make one copy of a pattern (or something else from a diff. book) for personal use. So there's the official answer, as far as I'm concerned

[G.R.I.T.S.]

I have no answer, but that is an excellent question, because I just cannot make a project in two weeks, I would be checking that book out for months at a time, (in some cases, I think YEARS! ).Myndie

[crochet smartcat]

I think most of us have done this from time to time, however it is breaking the copyright laws. I used to work for a copy shop and would have to refuse people to make copies out of a copyrighted book, unless it is for educational purposes. That is usually the only reason it is okay to make copies, like you would make copies for a book report you or your kid needed to do. Most published books, to my knowledge it is not okay to make copies for personal use, unless the copyright states that you can.

 

I have run into clipart books and other workbook type books, that say you may make copies for personal use not distribution, like stationary or family newsletters or such. But I would say a book of patterns it is not okay, because it is depriving the publisher of sales. Of course if the book is out of print and not available? Still illegal, but a judgement call.

 

It would be similar to making a photocopy of a book, just because you like it and want a copy. It isn't right, but I am sure it has been done.

 

That said, I'm not saying I haven't done made copies out of a published/copyrighted book for myself or to share with a family member or friend, because I have. But you have to make the decision for yourself on how you feel about breaking the copyright laws. Perhaps you would feel that you don't want to break any laws, or just one pattern is okay, or the whole book is fine. But legally ....no copying is allowed in most cases.

 

In the big picture you will probably never get in trouble for doing it, except with your own conscience.

[G.R.I.T.S.]

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I was thinking out loud and it makes you wonder why publishers would let libraries even have crochet books, because it does cut back on their sales. Guess you can't really control who owns your book though. :think Myndie

[noricum]

Myndie: It doesn't always cut back on sales. Sometimes I'll check out a book in the library, and if I like it I'll order it from Amazon. I don't like ordering books I haven't seen.

 

But yeah, I can't make a crochet project in two weeks either!

[LadyyOftheOak]

I've looked through my books at home and they all say for personal use only, but none of them say whether they restrict you making the patterns for sale. In other words, an afghan pattern that is in the books.. Say I've made an afghan from a pattern book and someone wants to buy it.. as long as I don't claim to be the designer is it then ok to sell the afghan:think

 

Now, not selling or distributing the pattern.. but selling the afghan .. is that the same thing?

[aliciasjoy]

I've bought books that I've first gotten from the library. I will almost always go to the library first, and if the book is that awesome where 6 weeks won't cut it, then I buy it. But I've also made copies, too-mostly so I could finish a project in my own time.

[Catana]

It's almost never legal to sell something made from someone else's pattern. Of course, it's done all the time. But I see books in the library that have patterns specifically for bazaars, so we have to assume that the sale of those items is okay.

 

As for making a copy of a pattern for your own use, I don't see the problem. If you're making an item from a pattern in the book, what's the difference between sitting there with the book or having a photocopy? If it's a long project, how many times are you going to have to renew the book, during which time no one else can use it?

 

I've looked through my books at home and they all say for personal use only, but none of them say whether they restrict you making the patterns for sale. In other words, an afghan pattern that is in the books.. Say I've made an afghan from a pattern book and someone wants to buy it.. as long as I don't claim to be the designer is it then ok to sell the afghan:think

 

Now, not selling or distributing the pattern.. but selling the afghan .. is that the same thing?

[Empress Busy Bee]

I was thinking out loud and it makes you wonder why publishers would let libraries even have crochet books, because it does cut back on their sales

 

Not to be picky but if that were the case there'd be no libraries, afterall even bestsellers can be found at the library.

[Stacey]

These two sites talk about the legality of making photocopies from library books:

http://www.csulb.edu/library/reserve/copyright.html

http://www.library.gatech.edu/course_reserves/copyright.html

 

Based on what I read there, it's my non-expert opinion that it's probably okay to copy a single pattern from a book in order to finish the item after sending the book back to the library, if you are making the the item for non-commercial use and if you destroy the copy afterward. But it wouldn't be okay to save the pattern (the part about affect on the market value), sell the item (the part about it only being okay for "private study, scholarship, or research"), or to copy more than a single pattern (the part about "the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole").

 

I could be wrong, but that's what I got from reading those pages...

[snbunch]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I edited the original post with an answer I received from a librarian.

[MarvieN]

This is good to know =) Thanks for letting us know!