Copyright for Educators

Does the item have a copyright statement or Terms of Use?

• Public Domain content does not require permission for use.
• Content published under a Creative Commons attribution license is free to use under the terms of that license.
• If the terms of use allow you to use it as intended, no further permission is required.

Could the item be found in an online library database or licensed resource?

• Our database licenses allow you to add links to articles within Moodle (but not the PDF versions of the articles). 
• Videos from Academic Video Online can be embedded in your course. See: How to search and share videos from Academic Video Online.

Does your intended use of the item require permission? Will it be...

• Scanned and posted to Moodle
• Copied and distributed to your class
• Copied and placed on reserve at the library
• Borrowed via ILL from another library
• Used in a private consulting project or job

See also, the section of this guide on Fair Use

Can you contact the copyright holder directly for permission?

• If you locate contact information for the author or copyright-holder, you can contact that person yourself for permission and any associated fees for use. Here is a sample permission letter.
• Use the Copyright Clearance Center or similar services to streamline the process. Contact the Viterbo University Bookstore for help.
• Keep a dated copy of the permission letter or sent email on file. Not hearing back from a copyright-holder is a factor favoring fair use of the item.

For more information please see: The Basics of Getting Permission from Stanford University.