Copyright and Fair Use

The purpose of this guide is to provide students, faculty, and staff of Eckerd College with an introduction to copyright and fair use principles as it relates to their work as scholars and educators.

Why is copyright important?

• Whether you are a scholar, artist, musician, or educator, the work you create is protected by copyright law and you should know your rights as an author
• As users of copyrighted materials, we need to know what constitutes lawful use of a work, and what penalties exist for unlawful use.  Understanding and doing your best to be in compliance with copyright law will protect you, as well as the College, from potentially significant legal penalties.
• Abiding by copyright law means that you respect the work of others.

Also, please see the following sections for best practices and suggested resources:

• Copyright Law
• Fair Use
• Guidelines for Faculty
• Getting Permission

Need information about copyright and fair use for student assignments?  See our Copyright & Fair Use Guide for Student Projects (designed for students).

This guide is intended to provide basic information and resources about copyright and does not constitute legal advice.

Unless otherwise noted, all content on the Copyright and Fair Use section of this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.