Note
In Summer 2023, attorney and BLS Library volunteer Grace Pickering substantially revised this research guide.
Librarians originally developed this guide to assist students in Brooklyn Law School's Copyright Law course. This guide focuses on free sources & additional sources available through BLS Library. In guide boxes under "Casebooks" & "Treatises," books appear in alphabetical order. We continue to add new resources. When you access this guide in future, please reload this web page.
Need help identifying material to support your research? Email: askthelibrary@brooklaw.edu or text: (718) 734-2432
What's New: AI's Impact on Copyright
- Patrick Zurth, Artificial Creativity? A Case Against Copyright Protection for AI-Generated Works, UCLA J.L. & Tech., Spring 2021, at I. (in Westlaw)AI's achievements in traditional areas of copyright subject matters inevitably raise the question of legal protection through an exclusive right.
- Copyright and Artificial IntelligenceThe Copyright Office has begun "an initiative to examine the copyright law and policy issues raised by artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including the scope of copyright in works generated using AI tools and the use of copyrighted materials in AI training." This page links to upcoming and previous public listening sessions that will inform future regulation.
- Copyright Law and Machine Learning for AI: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?See videos of this 2021 event, co-sponsored by the United States Copyright Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office
- Generative AI and IP - Eighth Session of the WIPO ConversationIn September 2023, the eighth session of the WIPO Conversation – Generative AI and IP will offer "a platform for in-depth exploration and dialogue, aiming to navigate the intricate interplay between generative AI and intellectual property rights. By examining recent advances, identifying practical solutions, and envisioning future directions, this session aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of generative AI's transformative potential and its wide-ranging implications for the entire intellectual property landscape."
- Hot Topics at the Crossroads of Copyright Law and Artificial IntelligenceThe New York City Bar Association has a multi-part series on artificial intelligence and copyright. Episode 1 is free for members, $15 for non-members.
Intellectual Property Protection for AI-Generated Creations by Publication Date: 2022In catalog record for this book, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - (EBC). Multiple copies available. First-time use of EBC platform requires BLS patrons to click: Create Account. (Off-campus use: requires proxy.)
- Vicenç Feliú, Our Brains Beguil'd: Copyright Protection for AI Created Works, 25 U.S.F. Intell. Prop. & Tech. L.J. 105 (2021) (in Westlaw)This article focuses on two specific areas: the state of protectability of AI-created content under the current legal framework and the potential changes necessary to the current system if AI-created content should become protectable.
- Pod Bites Episode 8 - Artificial Intelligence and Copyright: Who Owns AI-Created Works?Podcast by the New York Intellectual Property Law Association
- Regulating AI: A Running Tracker of AI Legislation (in subscription resource: The Fashion Law)The Fashion Law collates pending AI legislation, including copyright. (Off-campus use: requires proxy.)
When Was This Guide Last Updated?
This LibGuide was last substantively updated:
On: Aug. 8, 2023
At: 9:50 AM
By: Grace Pickering & Jean Davis
Copyright 101
- A Brief History of Copyright in the United StatesThe US Copyright Office's timeline.
- William Fisher, Copyright Law Mind MapProf. Fisher of Harvard Law School developed an interactive mind map of copyright law.
- Fair Use ChecklistColumbia University's Copyright Advisory Office checklist for evaluation of contemplated fair use of copyrighted works
- How to Copyright a PhraseThis article at The Law Dictionary describes the steps of copyrighting.
- Music Copyright Infringement ResourceA list of selected cases citing copyright infringement in music. Updated regularly, sponsored by The George Washington University Law School and Columbia Law School.
- Michael Brewer & The ALA Office for Information Technology Policy, Public Domain SliderEasy-to-use digital tool to aid in determining whether a work is in the public domain.
- What Is Copyright?Basic information and international treaties collated by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Membership Opportunities for BLS Students
American Bar Association (ABA) law student membership is free.
- A law student can join five free ABA groups. ABA groups include: Section of Intellectual Property Law
- FYI: On 05/27/23, the ABA membership form stated: "All ABA Law Student Members and ABA Lawyer Members under 36 years old or admitted to practice for ten years or less are automatically enrolled in the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) at no additional charge."
The New York City Bar Association has a $25 membership for current JD students (as of 06/23/23: the membership fee is $50 for LLM students). Student members can apply to join committees, including the Copyright & Literary Property Committee. Most events are free to members or reduced price (or sometimes sponsored by BLS, which may mean you get in for free!).