Trout Library follows U.S. copyright law (Title 17, United States Code) governing the reproduction of copyrighted materials.
Libraries and archives can provide copies under specific conditions, primarily for private study, scholarship, or research. Using these reproductions for purposes beyond "fair use" may lead to copyright infringement liability for the user.
This guide is for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as legal advice.
We follow copyright laws and fair use guidelines when it comes to copying materials. You are allowed to photocopy up to 10% of a textbook or one chapter, whichever is smaller. Multiple chapters cannot be copied at once. Copying cannot substitute for the purchase of a text.
Please be mindful of these limits when using the library's printers and copiers. Although we don’t track textbook copying, we trust that you will adhere to these guidelines.
You may need to seek permission to use material under copyright.
Follow the steps below. It is advisable to start this process early.
Creative Commons licenses allow creators to grant permissions with specific conditions, such as attribution. For more details, visit Creative Commons’ About the Licenses and Use and Remix.
Fair Use allows you to use copyright material under certain conditions. You may use copyright material for the purpose of criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research without obtaining permission or paying the copyright holder. Generally, the use of the copyright material must be a small portion, transformative and not for profit.
Open Access provides freely available research, often with few restrictions. Access content via the Directory of Open Access Journals, Directory of Open Access Books, and Public Library of Science.
Public Domain works are free to use due to expired or relinquished copyrights. Verifying a work’s status can be complex, but resources like Project Gutenberg, Internet Archive, and Google Books offer access. In the U.S., works typically enter the public domain 70 years after the creator’s death or if published before 1925. See Cornell University’s Copyright Term and the Public Domain for more information.
Copyright rules differ between online and face-to-face learning environments. This section provides an overview of copyright guidelines specific to online education, following best practices from the Copyright Clearance Center's document, Using Course Management Systems: Guidelines and Best Practices for Copyright Compliance.
Using platforms like Canvas does not exempt users from copyright laws. It is important to be cautious and seek permission if fair use does not apply.
Here are key best practices for ensuring copyright compliance.
Permitted
Not Permitted
When in doubt, seek permission from the copyright holder or use alternatives available in the public domain or under Creative Commons licenses.
Fair Use, outlined in Section 107 of the Copyright Act, allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission, but it is a legal defense rather than a right.
To determine if your use qualifies as fair use, consider the following four factors:
For a detailed analysis, you can use the ALA Fair Use Evaluator Tool to guide your assessment and keep a record of your evaluation for reference.
Additionally, the Center for Media and Social Impact offers comprehensive Codes of Best Practices for fair use across various media types and industries, including academics.
For guidelines on photocopying materials for face-to-face instruction, refer to the U.S. Copyright Office's Circular 21, Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians.
While Fair Use can apply to images, it is recommended to use images in the public domain or with Creative Commons license. Always cite an image.
If the film you want to use is not in the public domain, you have two options. You can contact organizations like Swank or Criterion, which distribute film licenses, though this may involve a cost. Alternatively, you can use a short clip from the film -- up to 10% of its total length or 3 minutes, whichever is shorter.