I'm thinking about opening a private local non-profit library, where physical books are lent in exchange for a monthly membership fee. The copies will be legally purchased or donated by the community. I don't intend on infringing on the rights of authors and therefore need clarifications regarding certain points.
- Are there any laws that I must be aware of that would prevent me from freely distributing the books to whomever I please through this library system, and earning profits to grow the organization?
- Are there any steps that I must follow before having the right to distribute the books, or can I just start lending books from the moment I receive them from Amazon or whatever distributor? How do public libraries go about obtaining a particular book and adding it to their shelves?
- Do authors have the right to refuse that I freely distribute legally purchased copies of their books, or demand extra payments in order to be allowed to do so? I know that there is a program running in Canada that remunerates authors based on the number of times their books were checked out from public libraries. It is hard to find details online about this program. Can authors demand that I pay such royalties?
I want to make and sell knitted and crocheted items, but some of my patterns and themes are copyrighted (project patterns, pro sports logos, etc) and I don't know what hoops I would have to jump through to sell any of them, or if it's even possible. I tried to read the actual law, but the wording of US laws makes my head hurt.
I apologize if this is too simple of a question, but I did try to find the answer on my own. :(
I have a question. So I make an abridged series on YouTube and want to sell things so that the voice actors will be a bit motivated to stay on this project. If the show is Digimon and I make a logo that says "D*GIMON ABRIDGED" is that considered derivative artwork (meaning bad idea)?
Also, if I create stick-figures meant to represent actual characters via their hairstyle and a clothing item or something, is that also a bad move? The abridged series is comedy-based/a parody so I intend on making the shirts or whatever I end up selling to be based on humor (besides something with just the logo on it).
If the above is unallowed, what about like a message saying "All proceeds will go to keeping this site running, that's it!" and I use the income from those items to pay for the hosting and domain name while anything else I sell with actual original art+concepts will go to the cast members?
For a little reference, i did some research and this is the closest thing I could find to help me: http://kirawra.deviantart.com/art/The-Truth-About-Selling-Fanart-212570726
I couldn't be happier. In the last year I've wrangled my mental health and I'm in a better place than I've been in years.
In the moment these accomplishments seem insignificant to work and time put in, but they're huge.
What is something going well in your life now?
Edit: I've gone through the comments and tried to respond to everyone. If I missed you I'm sorry! I'll be hanging around and continuing to cheer you guys on, give pep talks, advice and celebrating the great things going on in your lives!
UPDATE:
Many people asked about the brief I was working on. I will not identify the exact brief for privacy purposes but here is the Supreme Court link to the case, Allen v. Cooper. All of the Amicus briefs filed are at the bottom. I wrote one of them ;)
https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/18-877.html
I am happy to answer all questions you have about it, except those that would identify the one I wrote.
EDIT: > Wowza, that was fun! Alas, gotta get back to registering young people to vote. Thanks to all for your questions on the ever-confusing world of voter reg. > 1 in 8 voter registrations are invalid. Double check your reg status here: www.vote.dosomething.org. > If you need anything else, catch me here: www.twitter.com/@m_beats
I’m Michaela Bethune, Head of Campaigns at DoSomething.org, the largest tech not-for-profit exclusively dedicated to young people social change and civic action. I work everyday to ensure that young people, regardless of their party affiliation or ideology, make their voices heard in our political system by registering and voting.
In doing this work, I’ve had to learn the ins and outs of each state’s laws and make sure that our online voter registration portals, our members who run on-the-ground voter registration drives, and our messaging strategy are completely compliant with the complexities of voter registration rules and regulations as a not-for-profit, 501c3.
Today is National Voter Registration Day! Since 2012, every year on the fourth Tuesday of September, hundreds of thousands of first-time voters register to vote on this day. It’s an amazing celebration of our democracy -- a time for all Americans to come together and get ready to vote.
Curious about your state’s voter registration laws and how you can get registered? Or about the first voter registration laws? Or which state asked the question, “How many bubbles are in a bar of soap” for a literacy test to register to vote? Ask Me Anything about the world of voter registration, voter suppression, rights at the polls, or any other topic you think of!
While you’re waiting for an answer, take 2 minutes and make sure you’re registered to vote and that your address is up to date by heading to vote.dosomething.org
Proof: https://i.redd.it/kmzl31d6j8n11.jpg
After the mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, the debate on gun control policy has once again resurfaced in the public purview.
In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine has pushed for the passage of a so-called "Red Flag" law. These are "state laws that authorize courts to issue a special type of protection order, allowing the police to temporarily confiscate firearms from people who are deemed by a judge to be a danger to themselves or to others." An example of a state with a current Red Flag law is Oregon:
>Oregon’s Red Flag law requires a fairly simple process. The first step is for a concerned family member, household member, or law enforcement officer to ask the court for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), which will remove a weapon, or a concealed handgun license, from an individual who is at risk for suicide or is a danger to others. An Order also prevents the person from buying additional guns for a one year period. The law is nicknamed “Red Flag Law” for when a person exhibits a ‘red flag’ or other indicator that they may be a harm to themselves, or others. It is one of the few tools that family and household members have to quickly remove a weapon from somebody who is at risk.
Other states include Florida and Maryland. However, there has been some issues raised regarding these laws.
How do these laws interact with the Constitutional right to bear arms and to avail of due process?
(This topic was orignially submitted by u/Young_Dweezy.)
Introduced: Sponsor: Rep. Martha Roby [R-AL2]
This bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.
Rep. Martha Roby [R-AL2] is a member of the committee.
Something that is searchable like a website or PDF file would be great
Introduced: Sponsor: Rep. Cori Bush [D-MO1]
This bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.
Rep. Cori Bush [D-MO1] is a member of the committee.
