Introduction
Determining copyright status can be a difficult process. The resources on this page are intended as general guides. You can contact a librarian with any general questions you have about copyright, and we strongly recommend that you contact the Office of the General Counsel at UNCW with more specific questions or concerns.
Not all of the resources on this page are truly public domain resources. Many are offered under voluntary licenses or agreements, which change or limit the rights held by the copyright owner, or they are identified as royalty-free materials.
Open Knowledge & Research Impact Librarian
Books About Copyright
Copyright Law for Librarians and Educators by
Copyright in the world of digital information is changing at a fevered pace, even as educators and librarians digitize, upload, download, draw on databases, and incorporate materials into Web-based instruction. It's essential to stay abreast of the basics of copyright law and fair use. Kenneth D. Crews has completely revised his classic text to remap the territory with fresh, timely insights into applications of copyright law for librarians, educators, and academics. Readers will Learn basic copyright definitions and key exceptions for education and library services Find information quickly with "key points" sidebars, legislative citations, and cross-references Understand the four factors of fair use and related court interpretations Get up to speed on current interpretations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act from a librarian-educator viewpointCopyright Law for Educators and Librarians--highly praised in previous editions--draws on cutting-edge case law in 18 discrete areas of copyright, including specialized and controversial music and sound recording issues. Information professionals will find the tools they need to take control of their rights and responsibilities as copyright owners and users in this succinct, easy-to-use guide.
The Copyright Handbook by
This must-have handbook for writers and artists provides every necessary form to protect written expression under U.S. and international copyright law. With step-by-step instructions, it illustrates how to: o register a written work with the copyright officeo determine what works can be protectedo transfer copyright ownershipo define and avoid infringemento maintain electronic publishing rightsThe updated 5th edition discusses the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, new fees and registration forms, the 20-year extension of all copyright terms, Tasini v. New York Times and the resulting decision that affects all freelance writers, and more. All 23 forms come as tear-outs and on the CD-ROM.
The Public Domain by
The Public Domain is the definitive legal guide to the public domain -- the creative works that are not protected by copyright. (Yes, that means you don't have to pay for copying the material ) But what makes a creative work public domain? This book reveals all, discussing: -- writings -- art -- maps -- film and video -- choreography -- music -- architecture -- photography -- software -- and more
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Copyright
Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution, states: "The Congress shall have power...To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries..."
U.S. copyright law gives all creators near perfect control over their creation, with a set of rights that only they may exercise. These include the right to make copies, to prepare derivative works, to publicly distribute, display and perform the work, and (in the case of digital sound recordings) to perform the works over a digital network. (source)
For an overview of copyright and issues related to education and fair use, we recommend reviewing:
- Copyright Crash Course from the University of Texas Libraries
- When You Need Permission & How To Get It from UNCW's General Counsel.
There are four ways that you can use copyrighted material:
Public Domain
- This primarily includes so-called "orphan works" and works that are old enough that their copyright has expired.
- Is it Protected by Copyright? - American Library Association
- Welcome to the Public Domain - Stanford University Library
- Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States - Cornell Copyright Information Center
Fair Use
- Depending on the nature of the copyrighted item and of your use, you may be able to use it.
- Fair Use Evaluator - American Library Association
- Fair Use Worksheet (.pdf) - UNCW General Counsel
Permission
- You can contact the copyright holder for permission. Note that the creator is not always the same person as the copyright holder.
- Sometimes the holder will proactively label their work with permission to reuse with or without restrictions (for example:creative common licenses).
TEACH Act
- If you are teaching an online class, you may have special copyright allowances in regards to digitizing items.
- Learn more about the TEACH Act - Louisana State University
- TEACH Act Worksheet (.pdf) - UNCW General Counsel
Selected Sites for Allowed-to-Use Resources
Please note that not all materials listed on the sites below are in the public domain or have the permission of the creator for you to use. It is the responsibility of you, the individual using the material, to determine copyright status.
This is not a comprehensive list! There are many more places to find content on the web.
Textbooks
Images
- Flickr: Public Domain Group
- Flickr: Creative Commons Search
- Google Image Search (After doing a search in Google Images, you can use the Tools tab to sort images by usage rights)
- Artstor
- Unsplash
- CC Search
- The Noun Project
- Pexels
- Nappy
- Pixabay
- Getty Open Content
- National Archives
- New York Public Library - Public Domain Collections
- Picdrome
- Wikipedia Public Domain Image Resources
Other Image Ideas
- Government agencies
- Presidential libraries, other special libraries, or archives
- Library of Congress Collections, especially American Memory and the Print & Photo Reading Room
- Digital libraries -- see Wikipedia's List of Digital Library Projects
- New York Public Libraries: Public Domain Collections
- Books, newspapers, and magazines published earlier than 1923, or between the years 1923-1963 if copyright was not renewed. Use the "advanced keyword search" in Randall Library's Catalog to find materials published before a certain date.
Audio
- LibriVox (audio books)
- Soundbible - royalty free collection (sound effects)
- Freesound (sound effects)
- Musopen (music)
- YouTube audio library (music & sound effects)
- Facebook Sound Collection (music & sound effects - login required)
- The Mutopia Project (sheet music)
Other Audio Ideas
- Sheet music collections
- Traditional songs or folk music created, or in existence before, 1923
Video
- The Internet Archive - Many of the digitized films in the Prelinger Archive, accessible through the Internet Archive, are available for nearly unrestricted non-profit use.
- YouTube Creative Commons videos - Start by running a search. Then, open the "filters" and refine results to "Creative Commons."
Other Video Ideas
- Special libraries
- The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration has a list of finding aids for locating materials in Presidential libraries and other special collections
Text
Other Text Ideas
- Books, newspapers, and magazines published earlier than 1923, or between the years 1923-1963 if copyright was not renewed (use the "advanced search" in Randall Library's Catalog to find materials published before a certain date)
- Again, special libraries and archives will have many materials
- While not public domain materials, there are several publishers and web sites featuring authors whose works are available for free download. See the Internet Archive's Text Archive for more information.
Canvas Module
Randall Library has created a Canvas module* entitled "Using Images from the Web." This module will introduce your students to the legal and ethical principles surrounding the use of online media.
To install the module into your Canvas course, open the Canvas Commons and search for either the module title ("Using Images from the Web") or just "Randall Library." You can preview the module before importing and will be able to edit / customize it afterwards.
*Note: this content is already included in the ENG 101 library modules