Provides essential guidelines for creating, enforcing and maintaining copyright compliance in the 21st century

New York, NY (February 18, 2009)—Educational materials are copied and distributed daily in schools nationwide, and it is essential that school districts understand and adhere to current copyright laws. Smart Copyright Compliance for Schools: A How-To-Do-It Manual, to be released by Neal-Schuman on April 10, 2009, is a comprehensive resource to help school professionals employ the proper methods and best practices for establishing, enforcing and maintaining copyright compliance in their school districts.

Accomplished educator, researcher and author Dr. Rebecca P. Butler provides essential guidance to help school professionals build awareness of important copyright laws, follow proper procedures, and develop a working, school-wide compliance policy. Clearly organized into seven chapters, the book examines the crucial elements of copyright compliance.

Smart Copyright Compliance for Schools begins with a thorough introduction to copyright compliancy and its changing role in the 21st century, and outlines the steps for creating a successful copyright compliance program. Butler then explains the steps for writing strong policies, and provides examples of successful existing policies currently being used in schools. The next chapter addresses the policy development process in detail, and explains the importance of utilizing outside and internal experts, selecting a district leader, and scheduling and running development, follow-up, and audit meetings. Butler next explores the specific ways in which professionals in a school district can implement copyright policy, and covers defining procedures, determining an audience, working with existing procedures, writing new procedures, and communication. The next chapter provides in-depth guidance for training district employees, including sample copyright documents and agreements, and is followed by an introduction to auditing policies, along with a detailed checklist for conducting successful, compliancy audits. Butler concludes with best practices for evaluation and obtaining constructive feedback. The book’s appendix includes a comprehensive Compliance Toolbox, with seven helpful tools for creating and implementing a copyright compliance program, including training materials, sample audit scenarios, school district copyright policies and teaching and training materials on the Internet.

Smart Copyright Compliance for Schools: A How-To-Do-It Manual is a step-by-step guide to understanding important copyright laws, and provides school media specialists and school district professionals with the necessary tools to successfully create a copyright compliant environment in their institution.

Smart Copyright Compliance for Schools: A How-To-Do-It Manual
ISBN: 978-1-55570-646-3.
2009. 8.5 x 11. 150pp. $75.00.

About the Author
Rebecca P. Butler is a professor in the Educational Technology, Research, and Assessment Department in the College of Education at Northern Illinois University and holds a B.A. in library science, an M.S.L.S. from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. in Educational Technology/Curriculum and Instruction. She has worked as a school librarian, library media specialist, medical librarian and reference and young adult public librarian and an active member of ALA, AASL and the AECT. Butler served as a reviewer for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program and wrote what School Library Journal called the “indispensable” Copyright for Teachers and Librarians (Neal-Schuman, 2004).

About Neal-Schuman Publishers
Neal-Schuman Publishers is the leading provider of library management, Internet and information technology resources, including the highly acclaimed “How-To-Do-It” series. Founded in 1976, Neal-Schuman Publishers is based in New York City with offices in London, UK.

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