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It's been ten years since CSU Libraries launched its Web site, and since then the Internet has revolutionized the way we bring you information. Today the Library provides you with access to more than 24,000 electronic journals and more than 198 databases, regardless of whether you’re at home, at the office, or out in the field. The Library Web site has no doubt transformed the way that CSU faculty and staff conduct their writing and research. The Internet has had a similar effect on the classroom, with students now able to do research from computer labs inside the Library, across campus, in their dorm rooms, and beyond. Thanks to the Library's Electronic Reserve system, we're also making it easier for you to share materials online with your students without the costly expense of paper copies.

As a society, we are in the midst of an information revolution. For the first time in history, Internet technology enables the dissemination of knowledge and the exchange of ideas both globally and instantly. The Internet is also transforming notions of authorship. As blogging, e-mail listservs, and other forms of online publishing are embraced across academia, the ways in which we publish and share our work are being radically transformed. In the midst of this burgeoning technology, lawmakers are faced with important questions on the ways in which to govern--or, some would argue, to protect--information in the digital environment. This issue of Library Connection explores copyright in the digital age. Who owns creative work and who has the right to share it? For educators, the Know Your Copy Rights will serve as a quick guide to help you navigate some important questions when sharing digital content in the classroom. We're happy to assist you in the Library and the General Counsel's Office can also answer specific legal questions pertaining to copyright information. The article we present here in Library Connection is addressed to you as authors. It is meant to help you explore the options of ownership of your own creative work--the rights you have, the rights you sign away, and the rights you may want to keep.