Copyright Policy

What is Copyright?

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of "original works of authorship," including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works.

It is illegal for anyone to violate any of the rights provided by the copyright law to the owner of copyright. These rights, however, are not unlimited in scope. Sections 107 through 121 of the 1976 Copyright Act establish limitations on these rights. In some cases, these limitations are specified exemptions from copyright liability. One major limitation is the doctrine of "fair use," which is given a statutory basis in section 107 of the 1976 Copyright Act.

Section 107, Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use, states:

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include:

1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.

Lane Library does not provide legal advice.

The links below provide information on copyright and fair use issues to assist you with your understanding of the law. When in doubt, consult a qualified attorney.

Regents Guide to Understanding Copyright and Educational Fair Use

The purpose of this guide is to provide faculty, employees, and students of the University System of Georgia with a basic understanding of copyright and fair use. [text from site]

Copyright Tutorial

The Scholarly Communication Center of the North Carolina State University Libraries provides an easy-to-follow lesson in the basics of fair use and copyright.

Ten Big Myths About Copyright Explained

An attempt to answer common myths about copyright seen on the net and cover issues related to copyright and USENET/Internet publication. [text from site]

Checklist for Fair Use

prepared by the Indiana University Copyright Management Center, should help educators, librarians, and others to focus on factual circumstances that are important to the evaluation of a contemplated fair use of copyrighted works. [text from site]

Fair Use and Fair Use in Online Education and Web Based Training

These essays were written by Ivan Hoffman, B.A., J.D., Attorney at Law, an expert regarding copyright and legal issues.

United States Copyright Office, Library of Congress

The Copyright Office Website makes available all copyright registration forms, many in fill-in format; all informational circulars; the Register's testimony; announcements; general copyright information; and links to related resources. [text from site]. Circular 21, Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians is particularly helpful.

Copyright Clearance Center

Provides assistance in obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted content such as articles and book chapters in your journals, photocopies, coursepacks, library reserves, Web sites, e-mail and more. [text from site]

Getting Permission

Different academic departments may vary in their procedure for obtaining permission to use copyrighted material for classroom and teaching purposes. In general, permission is usually requested by contacting the publisher directly or by contacting the Copyright Clearance Center.

Regardless of how permission is pursued, the AASU Publisher Permission Request Form is available for you to record all the relevant information for your request. If your department has a designated person to handle copyright issues, you can forward the Request Form to them so that they can then contact the appropriate agency and request copyright permission.

For extensive information on photocopying materials to be placed on Reserve in the Library, please see the policies outlined on the Reserves Department page.

Lane Library's procedures must be in compliance with the copyright laws of the United States, the policies of the Board of Regents, and the regulations of Armstrong Atlantic State University.