Copyright

U.S. copyright law includes several important exceptions that support educational use of copyrighted materials. These help instructors use readings, media, and other content in both face-to-face and online teaching.

Many instructional materials can be used freely without additional copyright steps. These include content you create or access through trusted educational sources.

• Materials in the public domain
• Content with open licenses
• Library-licensed content - Articles, eBooks, and streaming media available through library databases, when linked using permalinks.
• Your own original work
• Open Access scholarly research

Some instructional uses fall into gray areas where copyright status or permissions may not be clear. These situations often require additional review, limitations on access, or formal permission.

• Multiple chapters from the same textbook
  Even if used across different weeks or modules, this may exceed fair use.
• Entire films or performances
  Streaming full works often requires licensing, even for educational use.
• Sheet music or full song recordings
  These are especially restricted and often excluded from fair use or library licenses.
• PDFs posted repeatedly across semesters
  Reusing scanned content long-term may require permission or linking alternatives.
• Materials shared outside of Brightspace or other LMS
  Posting to open websites or sharing directly with students not enrolled may exceed fair use.