Copyright Information

A key component to information literacy is the effective and ethical use of information. On this page, you will find relevant materials to help you stay current and up-to-date on copyright restrictions and regulations.

Under the Copyright Act, there is nothing more intriguing and exciting for educators than Fair Use. Fair Use is the concept that if you are doing something for the greater good of society, like teaching, then your needs supersede the ownership rights of the copyright holder under the Copyright Act. Teachers, and by association, students, can legally use music, websites, video, print, images, and the whole realm of copyrighted materials for the purposes of teaching.

If you have any questions, please see Ms. Mullen

Know Your Copyright (pdf file - 289kb)
This contains tips for teachers about what can be used in regards to copyright.

Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers (pdf file - 289kb)
To inform teachers of what they may do under U. S. copyright law.

Performance of or Showing Films in the Classroom (pdf file - 1.1 MB)
about the permissibility of showing films in the classroom.

Fair Use or Section 107 of the Copyright Act allows reproduction and other uses of copyrighted works for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. The statute sets forth four factors to be considered in determining whether a use is fair; including the character of the use, the nature of the work, the amount used in proportion to the whole, and the impact on the market for the work. The four factors provide libraries and users alike with needed flexibility. Fair Use The U.S. Copyright Office has a standard factsheet, which is used to explain fair use. The factsheet can be found at http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

Streaming Videos	PDF Downloads
Introduction Overview Fair Use Internet & Web Multimedia Print	Copyright Scenario Checklist Copyright Primer for Administrators Copyright Guidelines for Teachers Copyright Quiz Copyright Quiz Answers