Intellectual Rights have the same legal status as property rights. . .What a novel concept?

[Gloria Houston]

Pardon the pun!

 

Is anyone else having issues with the public perception of the intellectual rights to a given book as belonging to anyone who purchases a book or even checks a book out from a library to do with what a reader wishes? 

 

I've spoken to other writers who have these issues arise because many readers do not realize that intellectual rights are exactly like the rights to real property.  Usurping the rights to a book is exactly as if a person sees a  a lot belonging to another and, without without signing a legal document to buy it and paying for the lot, or without signing signing a lease and paying rent, builds a house and moves in to live there. I am astonished that some who would be in court to sue for their property rights in a flash are surprised that a writer or illustrator sues for the illegal use of intellectual rights to text or illustrations copyrighted in a published book.

 

For those who have published picture books, another issue is that the writer does not own and has no control over the illustrations.  Nor does the illustrator own or control rights to the text unless the illustrator is the writer.

 

The announcement at the beginning of every DVD states the copyright issues and the legal ramifications of stealing rights owned by another person by copying or quoting without permission from the owner of the copyright.  The same laws apply to books which apply to DVD's, films, and videos.

 

To copy the text and illustrations of any book, without permissions and with no copyright notices, breaks the same laws with the same penalties if caught.

 

Has anyone within the writing community here had to deal with this issue?  If so, I would appreciate any discussion of the issue.  I have legal input and publishing input.  General collegial input would be welcome.