Welcome to the Durham Tech Library's Guide to Copyright
A Resource for Faculty & Staff
Here you can find information to help you understand copyright, fair use, and the public domain. Please be aware, however, that we are librarians. Not lawyers. And any liability will fall on you, the individual, if you are deemed to have violated copyright.
Let's get started!
Tips to Keep in Mind:
- Assume content is protected by copyright (or, in the case of digital content, a license agreement, terms of use, terms of service, or the like);
- "Educational Use" ≠ "Fair Use";
- Attribution alone may not be enough;
- Password-protection alone may not be enough; and
- Students hold copyright to their works.
Further Reading
The Public Domain: How to Find & Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, At & More (7th ed.) by
An overview of what is and is not included in the public domain.
Call Number: KF 3022 .F575 2014 Lower LevelISBN: 1413320287Publication Date: 2014
Managing Copyright in Higher Education: A Guidebook by
Here is a complete, one-stop, guide to managing copyright at all levels--community college, college, and university. (Ask for it at the circulation desk.)
Call Number: Z 642 .F47 2014 Circulation DeskISBN: 0810891484Publication Date: 2014
- Full text of U.S.Copyright Law This document has been edited at the beginning and end to reduce size, but none of the text of the law has been removed.
- Copyright.govThe official website of the U.S. Copyright Office.