Copyright: Copyright for Instructors

This guide presents information about copyright law. HSHSL makes every effort to assure the accuracy of this information, but does not offer it as counsel or legal advice. Consult your own attorney for advice concerning your specific situation.

Fair Use

Fair Use is an exemption that allows for limited use of copyrighted materials for educational purposes.

Fair Use Rules for Instructors
Description of rules for fair use from University of Maryland, University College.
Fair Use Information
Information on Fair Use from Brigham Young University.
Thinking Through Fair Use
Online tool from the University of Minnesota that allows you to conduct a four factor review of a resource.
Fair Use Analysis
Checklist from the Purdue University Copyright Office that can help you determine Fair Use.
Fair Use Index - Database of Cases
User-friendly searchable database of fair use cases compiled by the U.S. Copyright Office. Click "Search Cases" to begin.
Copyright Decision Map
Guide from University of Minnesota Libraries that helps you determine if you can use copyrighted material.

TEACH Act

The TEACH Act allows for some use of copyrighted materials for distance education.

TEACH Act Toolkit
Resource from Louisiana State University Libraries that helps to describe copyright and distance education.
TEACH Act Requirements
Information about instructor, technological, and course material requirements for TEACH compliance from the Purdue Copyright Office.
TEACH Act Checklist
Checklist from the University of Texas Libraries to help make sure you are in compliance with the TEACH Act.
TEACH Act Flow Chart
A TEACH Act decision-making flow chart from Duke University.

How to Create Permalinks
You must create permalinks in order to post electronic articles online in Blackboard.

Obtaining Permissions

Resources that will help you gain permission to use copyrighted works.

Get Permissions
Getting permissions: step by step.
Sample Letter to Copyright Owner Requesting Permission to Copy
An example of a letter from the University of Maryland University College, that shows how to request to make copies of an item from the copyright holder.

Finding Images to Use for Instruction

There are freely available images that can be used for instruction on the web that you do not need to ask for copyright permissions to use.

Flickr Commons
Repository of open access images via Flickr
Google Advanced Images Search
After you enter the search fields of what you are looking for, scroll to the bottom of the screen. Last search filter will be usage rights where you can search for images that are: free to use or share, free to use or share even commercially, free to use or share or modify, and free to use or share or modify, even commercially.
Open-i
Open-i service of the National Library of Medicine enables search and retrieval of abstracts and images (including charts, graphs, clinical images, etc.) from the open source literature, and biomedical image collections.
Public Health Image Library (PHIL)
Freely available collection of images, image collections, and multimedia files from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Wikimedia Commons
Provides media files in the public domain and operates under the same principles as Wikipedia in that anyone can edit or upload.

UMB Resources

UMB Guidelines
UMB Guidelines on the Reproduction of Copyrighted Materials.
HSHSL Course Reserves

Ask a Copyright Question

Frequently Asked Copyright Questions
List of FAQs from the US Copyright Office
Email the HSHSL Information Services Desk With Your Copyright Question
A librarian will assist you with copyright questions you may have.
Contact the US Copyright Office
Information for contacting the US Copyright Office

Copyright: Copyright for Instructors

Fair Use

TEACH Act

Obtaining Permissions

Finding Images to Use for Instruction

UMB Resources

Ask a Copyright Question

Projects Maintained by the HSHSL

University of Maryland Schools

Connective Issues E-Newsletter

Join our subscribers!