Does Writing Important Points Violate Copyright Law

[timidguy]

Dear all,

Well, as my nick shown, I am a timid guy. Every now and then, I fear of violating the law.

Recently, I borrowed few books from the library. I read it chapter by chapter. At the same time, I wrote down the important points for my future references, private study and etc. Sometimes, I even go to the library to read books and also write down those important points or summarize it for my private study or future references.

Am i violating the copyright law? Is written important points or summarize the books violating the copyright law? I am very scare now and perhaps if it really violating the law, I don't know how.
By the way, all the points are handwritten.

Hope to get some answers from expert here. Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Timidguy

[LawResearcherMissy]

Is written important points or summarize the books violating the copyright law?

No. It's called "taking notes", and every student worldwide does it every day.

[timidguy]

No. It's called "taking notes", and every student worldwide does it every day.

Thanks for your answer. Even though many people or students are doing that but is it technically legal or not.
If we take notes on the important points on each chapter, then the author cannot earn from it as we didn't buy and may have borrowed it from the library or friends. Will the author sued us for doing that? Any way that he can successfully sued us for taking notes or writing down the important points of each or most of the chapter?

Hope it is not legal as most of the books are very expensive now. Therefore, going to library to read and take some important notes is one of an affordable way.
Thanks again.

[LawResearcherMissy]

No, taking notes is not illegal. It's covered under fair use.

As long as you're just scribbling down the salient points for your studies and aren't copying the books outright, it's fine.

[timidguy]

No, taking notes is not illegal. It's covered under fair use.

As long as you're just scribbling down the salient points for your studies and aren't copying the books outright, it's fine.

Thanks for your information again. I think I am comfortable of it and I think just writing down those salient points will be fine. Eventhough there isn't any definite guidelines about it but I think it is still fine. If I think the book is very good, then I can choose to buy it.
By the way, anyone of you ever write down important points during when you read books in library?
Thanks.

[timidguy]

Finally I bought the book as I think it is good to do that. Eventhough I may not be violating the law for writing down important points but if the book is really good, I think I rather buy it. Anyway, thanks for the information.

[kist]

Ideas, even those in books, cannot be copy-written. The book itself, the order in which ideas are laid down, certain key phrases unique to the author
- that's the sort of thing protected.

From your rather bizarre take on things why would anyone sell a book if no one were allowed to remember what was in it? Why would anyone buy a book? "Oh I better not buy that book, I hear it's so interesting you remember things from it. "
--------------------------------------------
What does copyright protect?
Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed.

[aaron]

Please forgive the pedantic interjection: Cannot be copyrighted. It would be an interesting world if copywriters were unable to reduce ideas to writing.