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For Faculty

There are any number of reasons why you, a faculty member, are taking the time to look at a page entitled "Using Copyrighted Works."  It is probably fair to say that few, if any, of you are here to satisfy curiosity about copyright law.  More likely someone has questioned or challenged your proposed use of copyrighted material in your teaching activities or perhaps all the negative press about copyright infringement has raised your concern about what you are and have been doing.

You are here because you want to know what you can and cannot do in your classes even though you suspect it's mostly "can't.

The good news is that there are many ways you can lawfully use copyrighted works in your teaching activities without having to obtain permission from the copyright holder.  Indeed, it is the focus of the "Know Your Copy Rights" educational initiative from the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). This educational initiative offers a number of tools - in particular a very useful brochure "Know Your Copy Rights - What You CAN do" that you may wish to download.

Aside from your personal situation, faculty need a better understanding of copyright in order to exercise their rights with confidence and assurance and to maximize potential opportunities for use.  Understanding your fair use rights allows you to employ them in a responsible good faith manner which, in turn, will provide you with a powerful defense against infringement claims via §504.  [Preceding adapted from KYC site]

Here you will find copyright information and guidance presented in a number of formats.  For basic copyright information, see:

• NC State Fair Use Checklist

• Copyright Basics Tutorial

• Using Copyrighted Works Tutorial

• Copyright Essentials [handout format]

• Copyright Fact Series

• Copyright Primer

• NC State Fair Use Checklist

• FAQ for Faculty

• Using Copyrighted Works Tutorial including fair use

Before delving into the specific types of teaching activities and what the copyright law allows, it is important to get a little basic copyright information under your belt.  Once you know a few basics, the more complicated analyses will come easier.

•  How to Analyze a Copyright Use Question

•  A Little More About Fair Use

•  How to Analyze a Copyright Use Question