Copyright Guide for Heritage Collections - Google Docs

"Copyright automatically arises when an original artistic, literary or dramatic work is created. In the New Zealand Copyright Act 1994 the maker is referred to as the “author.” Depending on the type of work created most copyright lasts for the duration of the author’s life and 50 years after the death of the author. When the author dies, copyright is usually passed down to an appointed beneficiary or is automatically assigned to the beneficiary/s of the estate. In order to reproduce a work that is in copyright, permission (usually in the form of a licence) must be sought from the author or the copyright owner."