Copyright Guidelines

 

GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF MATERIALS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT

The purpose of copyright is to further knowledge for the public good by providing authors and/or creators with an economic incentive to publish their works. While the intent of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, United States Code, Sect. 101, et seq.) (“Copyright Law”) is to protect the rights of creators and producers of intellectual property, certain exemptions have been made to facilitate the use of information in academic environments. These exemptions are generally referred to as “fair use” exceptions. Fair use and other exceptions to the law have proven to be open to various interpretations and a number of common myths exist regarding copyright and fair use, often resulting in confusion as to what constitutes the educational fair use of copyrighted materials. The full text of the Copyright Law and its legislative history, plus analysis and commentary, are available in the Lewis J. Ort Library. Faculty, students, staff members and others with questions about the use of copyrighted materials should contact the Ort Library for guidance on their use. Additional information on copyright use is available from the University’s Printing Services Department, the Office of Sponsored Programs and the University Webmaster.

The University expects that the highest ethical standards as well as compliance with public laws and regulations will prevail in the conduct of its activities. It is the University's policy that all members of the University community will adhere to the provisions of the Copyright Law, the University System of Maryland Policy on Intellectual Property and the University Policy on Intellectual Property. Members of the University community who willfully disregard the Copyright Law, the University System of Maryland Policy on Intellectual Property or the University Policy on Intellectual Property do so at their own risk and assume all liability