The library has a role in helping faculty and teaching assistants grapple with questions about how to share intellectual property created by others legitimately with students. In particular, the library can promote awareness of situations when instructors may legally use works in their teaching without requesting permission or paying additional fees. The resources below can be used as part of the library's educational efforts.

Resources for Library Outreach to Faculty

"Libraries are Champions for Academic Freedom and Balanced Copyright"

This infographic illustrates the benefits of a balanced copyright system and the roles research libraries play in maintaining the balance of Copyright & IP.

"Copyright Timeline"

A history of copyright in the United States.

"Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries"

This is a clear and easy-to-use statement of fair and reasonable approaches to fair use developed by and for librarians who support academic inquiry and higher education. The Code was developed in partnership with the Center for Social Media and the Washington College of Law at American University.

“Know Your Copy Rights—What You Can Do,” a 2007 brochure aimed at faculty and teaching assistants.

Among the topics covered in the brochure are: fair use, the advantage of linking to instead of copying works, and special provisions for displaying or performing works in classes. The brochure also includes a one-page chart that highlights 24 situations when various categories of works can be used.

“Using Copyrighted Works in Your Teaching—FAQ: Questions Faculty and Teaching Assistants Need to Ask Themselves Frequently,” by Peggy Hoon, 2007.

This FAQ complements the brochure and presents a sequence of five overarching questions that faculty members should ask themselves when considering using a copyrighted work in their teaching. The FAQ consists of two sections, each addressing the different circumstances for the traditional face-to-face classroom or online courses.