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What is Copyright? How do I determine if I can use this information?

Understanding the ins and outs of copyright is challenging. The best advice is usually to know where to find the information when you need it, which is why we've compiled the list below.

To get started, here is a short video produced the Copyright Clearance Center that covers the Basics of Copyright in an animated, light-hearted manner.

Primary Sources & Definitions

• Please Review the Taylor University Copyright Policy, last updated Spring 2013, to be reviewed annually.

• Copyright Law (Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute) U.S. Code Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 107

• United States Copyright Office
  
  Pages to note within the U.S. Copyright Office web site
  • Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians (Circular 21)
  • Copyright Basics (Circular 1)
  • Copyright Registration

 
Fair Use

• Definitions
  • Fair Use from the Copyright Office (FL 102)
  • American Library Association-What is Fair Use?
  • Fair Use Checklist (Columbia Univ. Copyright Advisory Office)
  • The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education (November 2008)
    "This document is a code of best practices that helps educators using media literacy concepts and techniques to interpret the copyright doctrine of fair use." (From "The Code..." above.)
    Link to the full document pdf

• Fair Use FAQ's
  • Electronic Frontier Foundation-Fair Use FAQs & Answers
  • "How I learned to love FAIR USE" by Mary Minnow, Stanford University Libraries
  • Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video from the American University's Center for Social Media
    This site not only has the Best Practicies document, but also links to several other Fair Use-related publications including articles, videos, and classroom tools on the "Fair Use" tab in the top row of buttons.

 

How to get Permission

Here are two good sources for information about obtaining permission along with sample letters for the same:

• Model Permission Letters (Columbia University): http://goo.gl/EOed1

• Obtaining Permissions (University of California): http://goo.gl/h4TSH

 

DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998)

• Copyright office summary

• EDUCAUSE on the DMCA

TEACH Act (Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2002)

• ALA's Distance Education and the TEACH Act

• TEACH Act breakdown (University of California)

• TEACH Act Checklist (University of Colorado)

• Comparison Chart from UNC

Select Internet Resources

• "Is it Protected by Copyright?"
  A tool that helps one determine by date of publication whether a published work may be under copyright.

• Section 108 Tool (American Library Association)
  A tool that provides guidelines and criteria for library copying of copyrighted works.

• Copyright Advisory Network
  News about issues and developments pertaining to copyright.

• Copyright Term and the Public Domain from Cornell University

• Copyright Advisory Network from ALA
  "The purpose of this site is to encourage librarians to discuss copyright concerns, and seek feedback and advice from fellow librarians and copyright specialists."

• "Taking the Mystery out of Copyright"
  An inviting introduction to copyright for all ages (it could be G-rated!).
  Flash version: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/copyrightmystery/#/files/
  Text version: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/copyrightmystery/text/

• Creative Commons-Limited copyright

• Fair Use Network

• Stanford U. Libraries' Copyright & Fair Use

• University of Texas' Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials

• Copyright Compliance Policy and Guidelines from Providence College

• Copyright for Students (BSU)

Books on Copyright in Zondervan Library

• Copyright for librarians and educators: Creative strategies and practical solutions, 2nd ed. Kenneth Crews. 2006. Main Collection 346.730482 C86c

• The complete copyright liability handbook for librarians and educators. Tomas A. Lipinski. 2006. Main Collection: 346.730482 L66c

 

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Created by Lana Wilson, Research Librarian

Last revised May 09, 2013 - 02:29 PM