LIBRARY
Copyright Guide: Tools and Guidelines
This guide will inform you of copyright and issues pertaining to the use of copyrighted materials. It will not supply legal advice.
Tools for determing the protected status of a work
- The Copyright GenieA question/answer wizard that determines the copyright protection on a work depending on age and policy. The end results can be exported into a PDF for personal record.
- Copyright Registrations Public CatalogUnited States Copyright Office's search for copyright registrations and renewals after 1978.
- Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United StatesA table that clearly lays out the copyright status of a work based on publication year and/or renewal.
- Digital Copyright SliderDigital slider that shows the possible copyright status of works created at different times.
- Digital Image Rights ComputatorAn online wizard created by the Visual Resources Association based on generally accepted practices regarding image acquisition and use in the educational environment
- Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)Free online search of the USPTO database. TESS provides access to text and images of registered marks, and marks in pending and abandoned applications.
Fair Use Best Practices and Guidelines
- Educator's Guide to Creativity & CopyrightHelpful article and printable quick guide on copyright information for educators.
- Fair Use EvaluatorA step by step wizard that will help you determine if your use might be fair.
- for Academic and Research LibrariesAssociation for Research Libraries. (2012). Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries
- for Dance-related materialsDance Heritage Coalition information on Best Practices in Fair Use of Dance-related materials.
- for Documentary FilmmakersDocumentary Filmmakers’ Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use. (2005) AUSOC Center for Social Media.
- for Media Literacy EducationCenter for Media & Social Impact. Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education.
- for Online VideoCode of Best Practices Committee (2008) Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video. AUSOC Center for Social Media
- for OpenCourseWareCommittee of Practitioners of Opencourseware in the United States (2009) Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for OpenCourseWare. UASOC Center for Social Media.
- for PoetryAufderheide, P., Coles, K., Jaszi, P,. & Urban, J. (2011) Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Poetry. AUSOC Center for Social Media.
- for Scholarly Research and CommunicationInternational Communication Association Ad Hoc Committee on Fair Use and Academic Freedom (2010) code of best practices in fair use for scholarly research in communication.
- for Visual ArtsCenter for Media & Social Impact. (2015) Code of Best Practices in the Fair Use for Visual Arts.
USF Library Tutorials
Three minute 'Copyright Tidbits' on the basics, using copyrighted materials, and publishing and electronic theses and dissertations: