Copyright: A Resource Guide

This FAQ* is arranged around a sequence of 6 overarching questions that collectively represent a good-faith analysis for circumstances that are common in teaching at most universities.  For more information please visit http://www.knowyourcopyrights.org/resources-for-teaching-faculty/frequently-asked-questions

content by Peggy Hoon, JD, Visiting Scholar for Campus Copyright and Intellectual Property, Association of Research Libraries.

Ask yourself:

1. Is the work copyrighted? If not, no further analysis is needed. If yes or if you don’t know, read on.

2. What is the setting for the class where I want to display or hand out a copy of the work — is it in a face-to-face classroom or in an online course? The law allows different uses in different settings.

3. Is the work covered by a license, such as those governing my library’s electronic journals and databases?

4. Is there a specific provision in the copyright law that supports my proposed use without seeking prior permission from the copyright holder?

5. Does the fair use provision of the copyright law justify my proposed use?

6. Do I need permission from the copyright holder for the use I propose?

The information in the FAQ will help you explore these questions and reach an informed conclusion. When applied to a specific set of circumstances, the questions and responses will be interrelated so (if you are still reading after question #1) you are encouraged to review the entire part of the FAQ relevant for your classroom setting.

Contents

• Part I:  http://www.knowyourcopyrights.org/resources-for-teaching-faculty/frequently-asked-questions/uses-in-the-traditional-face-to-face-classroom
• Part II:   http://www.knowyourcopyrights.org/resources-for-teaching-faculty/frequently-asked-questions/uses-in-the-online-classroom-course-management-system

*The content of this page is taken from content by Peggy Hoon, JD, Visiting Scholar for Campus Copyright and Intellectual Property, Association of Research Libraries and is reproduced here under  the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/.

The Can I Use It? chart is a decision map of yes or no questions to guide you through determining whether or not a use of a copyrighted work is legal.  From the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Can I Use that Picture?  The Terms, Laws, and Ethics for Using Copyrighted Images - a handy visual guide through the decision-making process of whether or using a picture would fall under Fair Use.