The information on this page of the guide is also available in a Google Slide presentation that is licensed under a CC-BY license for your use.
What is Creative Commons course assignment 1 © 2021 by Naulayne Enders is licensed under CC BY 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 
Creative Commons works within copyright law. A first step to understanding Creative Commons is to begin with knowing a few things about copyright.
Creative Commons and its licensing system is built on copyright and is designed to provide an easy way for creators to share all or part of their work.
1.1 The Story of Creative Commons | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-1-the-story-of-creative-commons/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
Sharing is at the heart of the beginning of Creative Commons.
"US Constitution - Philadelphia" by pepsiline is marked with CC PDM 1.0
1.1 The Story of Creative Commons | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-1-the-story-of-creative-commons/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
How long does copyright last anyway? - CTEA
In 1998, the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) was enacted.
This extended the term of copyright for every work in the United States, including those that were currently under copyright protection, for an additional 20 years. This meant that any item under copyright at that time and any new work would be protected for the life of the creator plus 70 years after they died.
Once a copyright term ends, the work moves into the public domain where everyone can use it for any purpose.
1.1 The Story of Creative Commons | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-1-the-story-of-creative-commons/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
Is it Constitutional? - Eldred vs Ashcroft
Lawrence Lessig, a Stanford law professor and eventually one of the founders of Creative Commons, felt that CTEA was unconstitutional. Creativity and knowledge build on what has been created and learned in the past. The U.S. Constitution's intent with copyright was to ensure that there would be knowledge for others to utilize. Lessig felt that this extension was limiting available knowledge.
Eric Eldred was a web publisher who made works available as they passed into the public domain. His goal was to make more works freely available on the internet. Lessig represented him in a case that challenged the CTEA act.
Lessig used the argument that CTEA was unconstitutional and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court.
Eldred lost.
1.1 The Story of Creative Commons | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-1-the-story-of-creative-commons/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
Is there another solution?
Creation of Creative Commons
While Eldred lost the case, the need to share knowledge from the past had not changed.
Lessig and others created Creative Commons, a non-profit organization, in 2002 to answer this need. They created a set of free, public licenses that would allow copyright holders to have flexibility in how they shared their works.
"Creative Commons Licenses" by isabella.ell is licensed under CC BY 2.0
1.1 The Story of Creative Commons | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-1-the-story-of-creative-commons/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
Copyright is automatic and the default status of the work is that all rights are reserved by the creator.
Creative Commons licenses are an easy way for creators to share their work that works with and is consistent with copyright law.
Creative Commons licenses are also intended to be used all over the world. They focus not on individual content but on the building of communities through sharing.
1.2 Creative Commons Today | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-2-creative-commons-today/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
Today, Creative Commons licenses have been applied to almost 2 billion online works and across 9 mission websites.
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that has created a set of legal tools used by people across the world to encourage the sharing of creations and knowledge through open communities.
1.2 Creative Commons Today | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-2-creative-commons-today/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
Anyone can join the Creative Commons Global Network (CCGN). The Network has over 600 members and over 40 chapters worldwide and is involved in all aspects of Creative Commons promotion, use, and advocacy.
There are also Creative Commons Network platforms that can be joined such as:
1.2 Creative Commons Today | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-2-creative-commons-today/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
1.1 The Story of Creative Commons | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-1-the-story-of-creative-commons/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
1.2 Creative Commons Today | Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians and GLAM. https://certificates.creativecommons.org/cccertedu/chapter/1-2-creative-commons-today/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2021.
E, Isabell. Creative Commons Licenses. 7 Oct. 2018. Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/167276889@N03/31296882618/.
