I want to provide a handout for a presentation on thus. But the content is essentially going to be advice from a book, almost word for word. Is this ok as long as i put "content from Smith (2008)" or should I just photocopy the original book and hand that out? or is that as bad??? So confused!

Hi Sneaks,

as you know most books specifically state that nothing out of it should be photocopied, distributed etc. unless one has the written permission of the publisher. I think if your presentation is in a small circle, it probably is not that much of an issue. If it is at a big conference, it could get you into trouble. Obviously the risk is low, yet if I were you I would not do it. Maybe better just to say that your presentation is based on this and this book and just provide the audience, if interested, with the reference.

Its a small group anything between 5-15 and they are a non-academic audience. So I was going to summarise a few pages into a few bullet points. And perhaps say "content taken from Smith (2008)"

I went to a seminar where the trainer based much of his material on two books. He said at the beginning 'lots of this seminar is found in X and Y books' and in the handout he listed the books at the beginning of the handout, and then much of the content was points drawn directly from the books. As long as you are very clear about it being someone else's work, it should be okay.

Photocopying the books would breach copyright.

Thanks guys - I will put it together tonight and ask an impartial third person - ok my husband so not really impartial lol. I would rather it be in my own hand out as the book pages would be several pages long as opposed to one a4 sheet.

i would not copy anything to give out that wasn't my own words to a general audience. You can say that the basic info came from the book(s) or the basic ideas/layout came from a book, and give the reference. Laws on copyright are very complicated and it is best to avoid anything that might remotely look as though it breached the rules