This guide is designed to help American University faculty and students use copyrighted materials in their teaching and research.

What is covered by copyright?

• Copyright Quick Guide
• Copyright tutorial
• When is something in the public domain? - In general, works produced before 1926 are not copyrighted in the United States, but there are many special cases and exceptions. This chart helps you sort through it all.
• EFF's Copyright Curriculum

How can I use copyrighted materials in class?

• What AU Faculty Need to Know About Copyright for Teaching - Best practices for posting electronic resources in Blackboard and more.
• Fair Use Checklist - How to determine if you can use a copyrighted work without permission.
• Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education - Guide from AU SOC's Center for Social Media on use of materials for teaching media literacy.
• Getting Permission for Campus Screenings
• Video or audio taping in the classroom

Using your work - whose copyright is it?

• American University's Copyright Ownership Policy
• Copyright Author's Addendum - Adjust your publisher's agreement to preserve your copyright ownership.

Making your work accessible to others:

• Submit to American University's Institutional Repository
• Creative Commons Licensing

Using copyrighted information in creative works:

• Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video

Sources for permissions: 

• Copyright Clearance Center - Note: The library pays any fees for articles faculty are putting on reserve through the library.
• Model Permissions Letters
• Photography and Fine Art

Contact the library for information on other permissions including international permissions.