Copyright Guide

Students, faculty, and staff must respect the intellectual and creative property of all persons and abide by the U.S. copyright laws.  These laws have changed over the years and continue to evolve.  This site was developed to assist all members of the University community in discerning how or if they can use copyrighted materials legally.

Fair Use

Fair Use provisions, which were enacted into law in 1976, gives educators, scholars and students limited use of copyrighted materials without obtaining permission from copyright holders. The distinction between Fair-Use and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined but certain guidelines have been offered.

• Fair Use Checklist 
  

Copyright Websites

• U.S. Copyright legislation
• American Library Association
• Copyright Management Center, Indiana University
• FAQ

Resources

• Copyright Primer
• Copyright, Intellectual Property Rights, Licensing Issues
• Copyright Warning Notice (pdf)
  

These pages aim to provide useful information, but cannot provide legal advice. We cannot warrant that the information is complete or accurate. The USF Library disclaims all liability to any person for any loss caused by errors or omissions in this collection of information.

Adapted from web materials at Fairfield University.