Permissions - complicated?

[resetpreacher]

I am wanting to use a summary of an article by one author in the introduction of another author’s book. I have contacted the publisher. But my questions are:
1. Did the book author need permission from the publisher of the article? How about from the author of the article (In this case he is deceased, so his estate)? 2. If so, will I need them for my book?
3. Do you need permission to summarize something you read and publish it? What if specific details are eliminated? Can you say "I read an article this morning about a young woman who" - do you need permissions anyway?

 

[ValleyGal]

Whenever I have questions about copyright, I contact the copyright registration office. They have been very helpful in the past for me.

I don't know about your question 1, but on question 2, I think if you are summarizing a book like a book review, you do not need permissions. But if you are going to give away the storyline and ending, I think you should contact your copyright office.

 

[resetpreacher]

What I meant by summarize was a short retelling of the story, with no quotes. Not thinking of a book review but using it as an illustration for a book, article or blog.

 

[ValleyGal]

Hmm. I wouldn't then, unless you get permissions, but check with the copyright office. If it's a reference to the book in a blog, you might get away with it if you cite, reference and link to the book itself, but I'm not sure about that.

Here's a link to copyright law
Canada's Intellectual Property Laws / Lawyers & Regulations for Trade Marks, Patents & Copyrights | Information Technology IT - IP Lawyers | English / French / Spanish Language Services for Copyright-Trademark Patents info in Ottawa Toronto Vancouver

And here's one for the Intellectual Property Office
http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/home

Iirc, the copyright laws are international, but I just register with the Canadian. They've been really good about answering questions.

 

[resetpreacher]

I found an article to be somewhat helpful. Abridgments were listed under adaptations. Summaries might be considered a type of abridgment.

 

[SepiaAndDust]

It depends.

In the US (and in most other countries who are signatories to the major IP treaties like Berne or WIPO), the copyright owner has the sole right to abridge, adapt, or create derivative works. Your summary might fall under those terms, and you'd be infringing.

However, Fair Use allows people to review or make academic criticism of someone else's work. Your summary could fall under those rules, and you would not be infringing.

You can say that you once read an article about a young woman who did whatever--you're free to name the young woman, name the author, and name the article--but if you essentially re-write the original article, then you may have strayed into infringement.

So it depends on how you're using the article. You're asking for legal advice from random strangers on a messageboard, and that's never a very good idea. You'd really be better off asking your own attorney.

 

[TheGuide]

What I meant by summarize was a short retelling of the story, with no quotes. Not thinking of a book review but using it as an illustration for a book, article or blog.

If you're not going to use quotes, then it needs to have its on paragraph with a footnote mark where to find who originated it. People get in big trouble when they don't note the source of quoted information, or information specific to a person or person's creation or wisdom. I've quoted sources in my book, but I referenced them with footnotes. It's just information, not a patent or graphic art.

The best to you,

BigRoost.com