Originally Posted by
Stitchnripper
Can someone talk to the issue of going to the library for books with patterns. I am guessing we can use the pattern in a library book but can't copy the pattern and return the book and use the pattern later?
Libraries typically buy special copies of book with a "School & Library" license. It is different from the standard license and affords them additional rights that we usually wouldn't pay for when we buy a book at the bookstore/online. In addition, they can lend books under the First Sale law. While you have borrowed the book, you are allowed to make copies for Personal Use. If it weren't from a library/school, typically the law asks that all personal copies are either transferred or destroyed at the time of sale/gifting. Being from a library's collection, different laws might apply. I'm not sure. You could always ask your local librarian. They are required to study copyright law as part of the library science curriculum.
Of course the nice thing about libraries is that you usually can just check the book out again & then there definitely would be no issue with using the pattern. I'm not sure about the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law would support you making a copy, keeping it in a file with the name of the book/author & then when you want to use it again, just check the book out. One other thing, the instructions themselves may be copyrighted, but if it's a traditional pattern, the pattern pieces very likely cannot be copyrighted.