Copyright Resources

The United States Constitution provides for copyright in article I, section 8, clause 8, which grants to Congress the power "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts , by securing for limited Times for Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective writings and discoveries[.]" Since the founding of the United States, then, copyright law has played an important role in the authorship of books and other writings, and since the late nineteenth century, audio recordings, followed by video and now digital media. Beginning in the 1970's, Congress has amended copyright several times while attempting to realize the implications of newer technologies. Authors and users of potentially copyrighted works need to have a basic familiarity with the features of copyright law, and as importantly, need to be able to locate more detailed information. The University Libraries Copyright Committee provides these resource links to help you meet that need. If you find that you need additional information, please consider contacting the office of university counsel or your personal attorney.

If you have questions about this page, please contact your subject specialist libarian. 

Copyright Basics from the United States Copyright Office (PDF document may download slowly)

Creative Commons, providing guidance and licenses to facilitate open access to scholarship.

Resources for Authors, The Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)

The Fair Use Checklist from the Columbia University Libraries Copyright Advisory Office, featuring the well-known Fair Use checklist authored by the office's director, Kenneth D. Crews. Used under a Creative Commons BY license from the Copyright Advisory Office of Columbia University, Kenneth D. Crews, director.

Campus Guide to Copyright Compliance, Copyright Clearance Center (The Center earns revenue from arranging paid use of copyrighted materials.)

Center for the Study of the Public Domain, Duke University School of Law

Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries, Association of Research Libraries, 2012 (PDF)

Copyright & Fair Use, Stanford University Libraries

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States, Cornell University

Scholarly Communications @ Duke, Blog maintained by Kevin Smith, Duke University's Scholarly Communications Officer

TEACH Act Guide (Performance/Multimedia in Courses), Florida State University Libraries

For specific questions, please contact your subject specialist libarian.