FIGURE 6 Specialized Searches
BOOKS ONLINE
The Internet Public Library at www.ipl.org/reading contains various links to various books and texts that are freely available over the Internet. The electronic version is fully searchable and thus enables you to research the text as never before. Many of the texts are available as a result of Project Gutenberg (promo.net/pg). These are two sites you don't want to miss.
COPYRIGHT PROTECTION
A copyright provides legal protection to a written or artistic work, giving the author exclusive rights to its use and reproduction, except as governed under the fair use exclusion as explained below. Anything on the Internet or World Wide Web should be considered copyrighted unless the document specifically says it is in the public domain, in which case the author is giving everyone the right to freely reproduce and distribute the material.
Does this mean you cannot quote statistics and other facts that you found on the Web in your term papers? Does it mean you cannot download an image to include in your report? The answer to both questions depends on the amount of the material and on your intended use of the information. It is considered fair use, and thus not an infringement of copyright, to use a portion of the work for educational or nonprofit purposes, or for the purpose of critical review or commentary. In other words, you can use a quote, downloaded image, or other information from the Web, provided you cite the original work in your footnotes and/or bibliography. Facts themselves are not covered by copyright, so you can use statistical and other data without fear of infringement. Be sure, however, to always cite the original source in your document.
COPYING LICENSED SOFTWARE IS BREAKING THE LAW!
The fair-use doctrine does not extend to licensed software, even if you intend your copy to be used for educational use only. You can, however, legally copy licensed software to create a backup copy in case the original is damaged, but that's it. Any other copies are illegal.