The Copyright Advisory Office of Columbia University in the City of New York, a leading provider of copyright resources for the educational community, has launched a fully revised and updated website. The principal mission of the Copyright Advisory Office (CAO), under the directorship of Dr. Kenneth Crews, is to provide copyright information and guidance for the academic community.

The new website offers information on copyright ownership, fair use, publication agreements, the Google Books settlement, and much more, including

• A “QuickGuide” outlining succinctly the basics of copyright law.
• Guidance for understanding and applying fair use, including the popular “Checklist for Fair Use” conceived by Dr. Crews and now utilized at a wide range of educational institutions.
• Explanations and tools addressing library copying for research, preservation, and more.
• Details about identifying materials in the public domain and understanding the rules of copyright duration.
• Instructions for requesting and securing permissions from copyright owners.
• Pointers and tips for authors about publication agreements and the importance of negotiating and retaining records.
• A blog of postings from the CAO on Google Books and many other issues.
• Extensive links to a wealth of copyright information.

You can also find podcasts from the Copyright Advisory Office on iTunes U .