An Introduction to Copyright
Copyright - a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression
These works can include books, paintings, illustrations, music, poems, blogs, and more. Works are considered 'original' when they are "independently created by a human author and have at least a minimal degree of creativity". And, work is 'fixed' when it's "captured in a sufficiently permanent medium that can be perceived, reproduced or communicated for more than just a short time". (copyright.gov)
Be Careful
Copyright infringement is when you take someone else's creative work, copy it, and share it with others without their permission. You are interrupting the revenue stream of the original creator and, even if credit is given to the original creator, if they did not give permission to use their work, it's infringement and it's against the law.
It is important to be aware of the fact that copyright infringement does not have to be done maliciously. It can be completely accidental. You are still liable to the same consequences however, whether it is done purposely or not, so be careful. If there is ever a question, ask the library.
Need Help?
General Info
- About Copyright A nice overview from the Copyright Clearance Center describing what copyright is, how to license and/or get permissions and much more.
- Copyright and Fair Use Rowan University policies regarding copyright and fair use, from the Rowan University's Campbell Library (Glassboro campus).
Gist of Fair Use
Fair Use is a "legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright protected works in certain circumstances".
The gist of Fair Use is that generally IF the work you are citing is more technical than creative AND it's being used from educational purposes AND you're not simply reproducing another work in its entirety AND you're not making money of taking money from the original work, then you SHOULD be ok using it.
- Fair Use Fundamentals A brief overview of what does - and does not - constitute Fair Use of copyrighted material. This infographic was created by the Association of Research Libraries.
- Fair Use Myths & Facts The Association of Research Libraries debunks some of the most common fair use myths in this infographic, which was developed for Fair Use Week 2017.