Copyright
What is it?
Copyright covers the expression of ideas as recorded in some
way. This can be writing or in a broadcast for example. The work
must be wholly original for copyright to apply. As the name
suggests, the law covers the rights the author has regarding how
their work is copied or distributed. A piece of work does not need
to be registered or have a copyright symbol © to be protected by
this law.
Why do I need to know about Copyright?
The law of copyright has two parts:
- Protect the rights of the author of material - This has to be
done so that the author gets compensated for their
efforts.
- Allowing people to access materials to develop skills and
knowledge - As staff you need to know what you can do legally to
support your students with the resources you provide.
What media are covered by Copyright?
Copyright covers a large range of material, including but not
limited to:
- Books
- Journals
- Magazines
- Computer Programs
- Films
- Maps
- Websites
- Music
- Images
- Video
It is also important to be aware that different forms of
information have different requirements and guidelines.
Web Guidelines
There are currently no educational licensing schemes to cover
web-based materials. As a result of this, it is vital to be awawre
of the terms of use or licenses for each resource. In the instance
where these terms are not available or not clear, you
must gain the permission from the copyright
holder.
The Copyright Licensing Agency states that it is good practice
to acknowledge sources all digital materials, including the
following data if available:
- Author
- Title
- Date
- Publisher
- ISBN
You must also always be aware that, particularly on the
Internet, content stored on a website may infringe on the copyright
ownership of other materials available elsewhere. In addition,
you should be aware that websites can have many different authors,
and as such when seeking permission you should be clear about which
page(s) of content you wish to use.
Who to Contact
Subject Librarians for your subject area are the first point of
contact if you have a copyright query. If you are unsure who your
Subject Librarian is, please see the Teaching Staff page of the LRC
section of this website.
Related links: