Copyright
For many educators, the line between copyright do's and don'ts is blurry- especially in the online environment. Here are a few links to build understanding of basic copyright laws.
Texas Tech Links
University Library- Copyright Information
University Library - Reserve Policies and Procedures and Reserves Request Form
Information Technology Division - Copyright
TTU Operating Policy and Procedure - OP 30.22: Guidelines for the Educational Use of Copyrighted Works (see attachment found at the end of this OP, for a Sample Letter to Copyright Owner)
Other Links
- Copyright Clearance Center
- Want a quick answer? Watch this great video from Copyright Clearance Center. It is short and straight to the point. :
- Copyright on Campus - Click on best version for your computer Windows Media Version OR Quicktime Version
- Know Your Copy Rights Brochure, by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
- Know Your Copy Rights Website
- Creative Commons - Share, Remix, Reuse - Legally
- U.S. Copyright Office
- Copyright Alliance Education Foundation
- Best Practices, from the American University Center for Social Media
- Copyright and Fair Use, from the Stanford University Libraries
- Copyrights and Wrongs, from the American Association of University Professors
- The Copyright Crash Course, from the University of Texas at Austin
- Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States, from Cornell University
- A Map of Use Issues, from the University of Minnesota
- Public Domain Slider, Section 108 Spinner, and Fair Use Evaluator, from the American Library Association
- Tales From the Public Domain: Bound By Law? A comic book from public domain scholars at the Duke University Law School
Sample Requests for Permission
As the above links will educate you, many will need to acquire permission from publishers. This is often the case when videos or chapters from a book are shared with online learners. Feel free to use the following templates for starters:
Publisher Permission Request Form
Publisher Permission Request Letter
Sample Letter to Copyright Owner (this is a direct link to a sample letter attached to TTU's Operating Policy and Procedure: OP 30.22: Guidelines for the Educational Use of Copyrighted Works found above.
How the ID Team supports copyright
Frequently, the ID Team supports copyright in online course in recommending the correct use of media and documents posted online. One great example is the posting of journal articles. Many articles are readily available via Texas Tech's subscription to educational databases such as ERIC (EBSCO), JSTOR, ProQuest, and WorldCat. Let us help you locate a legal and accessible (ADA compliant) version of your journal articles to share in your online course.
The Instructional Design Team is readily available to assist you or direct you in the right direction to clarify any copyright question you may have. Visit Contact the ID Team for contact information.