Ten points about copyright protection

The 23rd of April was the world copyright day. World Book and Copyright Day, which is known as the International Day of the Book, are celebrated with the purpose of promoting the publishing, reading, and protection of intellectual property rights in books. 

So in the spirit of the celebration, here are the ten most important things you (as an author or as a book lover) should know about copyright protection and their corresponding laws around the world. 

1. Copyright is a right bestowed on the creator of a book so as to enjoy the exclusive rights to control the publication/re-publication, distribution and adaptation or exploitation of the book.  Therefore, if you who is not an author of a book is interested in the distribution or republication, the adaption of the book into a play or movie or the general exploitation of the book, you will have to seek express consent and authorization of the writer who as a way of granting you his authorization will transfer his copyright to you through contract. 
2. Copyright protection was introduced as a way of ensuring that book authors enjoy just reward and recognition for their hard work and creativity, hence, authors of books are granted a legal right known as copyright on a book they created. 
3. The general rule as to copyright protection is to the effect that the author owns the copyright of his book once it is created but the exception to this general rule is that another person who is not an author of a book can acquire the copyright of the book through contract or by the transference of the rights from the author to the interested party.
4. Copyright protection for a book begins immediately after the book has been written and fixed in a tangible form, ie once a book has been written; it does not matter if it is a manuscript, highlights or the unedited version of the book, once a writer has scribbled his original thoughts and ideas into a paper he there and then begins to enjoy the copyright protection over that work. 
5. You do not have to apply for copyright over your book for you enjoy copyright protection over your book, although it is advisable that as an author you should take the extra-legal step of protecting your creativity by applying for the copyright over your work. This copyright certificate that will be issued to you will serve as a notice to the government, to the public and to intending infringers. 
6. Copyright of an author over his/her book lasts throughout the lifetime of the author and expires 70 years after the death of the author. 
7. Copyright is an alienable right; this means that it can be transferred from its original owner to another party and even to a third party. 
8. Copyright on a book can be jointly owned or shared. This is to say that if a book is written by more than one person, the different people who contributed to the writing of the book enjoy equal copyright unless it is otherwise agreed through a contract. 
9. Copyright protection does not cover only books written or published in hard copy format, e-books or books/articles published in digital format or electronically are also protected by copyright laws. 

Once again from all of us at Law Capitol Hill/ Tekedia Institute, happy belated world book and copyright day.