Copyright Basics
What is Copyright?
Copyright provides to an author or copyright holder protection (exclusive rights) for his/her intellectual property. This right is granted to United States citizens in Article Ⅰ Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. Congress did this to promote the progress of science and the useful arts. The most outstanding of these exclusive rights are the rights to reproduce, distribute, display and make derivative works. [Full coverage of the copyright laws]
In order for progress to continue, others, as well as the author or copyright holder, have to be able to use these works. To this end, limitations on exclusive rights have been codified by Congress. These limitations include:
- Fair use
- Reproduction by libraries and archives
- Effect of transfer of particular copy or phonorecord
- Exemption of certain performances and displays
- Secondary transmissions
- Ephemeral recordings
Copyright Resources
NKU Resources:
- Creative Thinking
- Copyright for the Classroom and the Digital World
- Fair Use Guidelines for Educators
General Resources:
- United States Copyright Office
- American Research Libraries: Copyright and Intellectual Property
- American Library Association: Copyright
- NACS Questions and Answers on Copyright for the Campus Community
- When Works Pass into the Public Domain