<p>I know that this is not a college admissions question but I wouldn't trust the answers that I would get at the College Cafe. Is it legal to transfer music from a CD to my computer when the CD came from my public library? </p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I don't think it's legal...but don't hold me to that.</p>
<p>Yeah as long as you do not sell it for profit you are cool.</p>
<p>That's also like asking if it is legal to tape songs off the radio. Totally legal, considered public domain I believe.</p>
<p>Only music written before 1922 is considered public domain in united states
For other music the authors own the copyright to their compositions.</p>
<p>I do think that if you own the CD you can make a copy for personal use. Don't hold me to it. I am remembering back in the "olden days" when we wanted to make a cassette tape from our records (these black, vinyl, disc-shaped....nevermind...) that this question came up, and the answer then was that it was okay if you owned the original and the copy was for your own use.</p>
<p>Even with written music, it is legal for me to copy a page to make a page-turn easier, or if I want to mark up a piece and leave the original "clean". I've gotten into arguments in copy shops, where the copy police don't want to let me.</p>
<p>Emeraldkity might have answered my question but I am not sure (thank you for the link).....I took out a CD of Bach Compositions played on the lute at my library this morning and would love to transfer it. Obviously the music was composed before 1922 but what about the performance factor? The librarian could not answer my question either.</p>
<p>I know that to some this might seem silly but I expect my daughter to toe the line about this issue so I better do it as well.</p>
<p>Can you get the CD from Amazon?</p>
<p>I don't know about the legality of copying music for one's own use. But performances carry copyrights, not just compositions.</p>
<p>Elleneast,
Performances on CDs, tapes, records, etc. are certainly copyrighted. Just because J.S. Bach has been dead for 254 years does not mean that we are free to copy any of his printed or recorded works willy-nilly. The publishers and performers of his works are covered by copyright protection laws. I'm surprised that the librarian did not realize this. You are not free to copy a CD of Bach's lute compositions even for your own use. The publisher of the CD and the musician(s) who performed the music are entitled to be compensated for their work. If you buy a copy of the Bach CD and want to make a copy for your own use, you may. You may not make multiple copies and share them with all your friends and relatives. If you would like to read in more detail about the U.S. copyright laws, go to this link sponsored by the Music Educators National Conference:
<a href="http://www.menc.org/information/copyright/copyr.html#reproducing%5B/url%5D">http://www.menc.org/information/copyright/copyr.html#reproducing</a></p>
<p>THANKS for the link...I keep telling all my friends that ripping music from the internet or "borrowing" it from friends is illegal! Now they have to believe me.</p>