Digitization Resources: Copyright Considerations

This website has several fair use and copyright resources including an FAQ, helpful charts and tools, a blog, and copyright case opinion summaries.

The University of Texas Libraries maintains a Copyright Crash Course, which has a section specifically for librarians. This includes a detailed section on fair use, as well as section 108.

This tool helps individuals document information needed to support a fair use evaluation.

A checklist provided by Columbia University, which can be used to help determine whether fair use applies. A link to the pdf checklist is below the instructions/guidelines.

Text of copyright law (Title 17 section 107), which provides the four provisions for determining fair use.

Original text of the law governing reproduction and sharing of materials by libraries and archives. (Title 17 section 108).

Text of copyright law (Title 17 section 106) which defines what rights copyright holders have in regards to their works.

The current copyright status of digitized items should always be communicated to users. New York Heritage uses standardized statements drawn from rightsstatements.org. Rights statements fall into three broad categories: in copyright, no copyright, and other.

A guide to understanding and selecting the correct Rights Statements for your materials.

A helpful chart detailing copyright terms and indicating when specific materials become public domain.

A tool from ALA to help determine the copyright status of a work. (Requires adobe flash.)