Copyright for Faculty: Home

Before You Begin
This faculty guide is a starting point with resources to help faculty determine the best course of action when copyright restrictions and fair use implications are at hand. Manchester librarians are not the copyright police, nor are we legal experts in copyright. It is our responsibility to provide resources, but not advice in regards to what you can and cannot do in your courses. Interpretation of copyright law is up to the individual, though Manchester's legal council may be able to provide further assistance.

Why Does Copyright Matter?
Copyright is a set of laws and regulations governing the production and distribution of created works. At its core, copyright laws (Title 17 of the United States Code) are in place to protect the works of authors, artists, composers and others from being used without permission.

Compliance with these laws ensures Manchester University is not at risk of any violation and provides an ethical example for our students and colleagues. 

Copyright should be considered in the following types of situations with note that you can use something for educational purposes and still be in violation of copyright law:

• Posting materials, images, and media in Canvas
• Providing course reserves to students
• Copying handouts for student use in class
• Sharing an article in an email with colleagues, students, etc.
• Distributing copies of an article at a meeting
• Putting an image into a paper or presentation
• Showing a video to a class or other campus group
• Copying portions of a text 

Use the tabs above to navigate through this resource guide. The following topics are discussed:

Fair Use
Creative Commons
Face-to-Face vs. Distance Education
Classroom Copies
Media
Best Practices