There are several exceptions to U.S. Copyright Law when it comes to classroom use of copyrighted materials.
Fair Use
It is important first to assess if the matter in question falls under Fair Use exceptions.
1) Some items do not fall under copyright laws and are available for use under fair use provisions. These items include any item that is included in the public domain. Items in the public domain inslude items first published prior to 1923 and includes many classic works.
2) Chapter 110 of the US Copyright Act includes provisions to allow for displays and performances of copyrighted material (excluding the copying and distributing of material) in face-to-face classroom interactions.
3) The copying and distributing of small portions of copyrighted material for classroom use is also acceptable under US Copyright laws. This is limited to up to one chapter of a piece that is greater than 10 chapters long, or up to 10% of a work less than 10 chapters.
Making Requests
In some instances, requests for use need to be made to the copyright holder. The first important distinction to make is the owner of the copyright, which is not always the same as the creator of the work. For example, pieces created by an employee during their work most often fall under copyright ownership of the employer. If you need to make a request for use of a copyrighted material, please contact Auxiliary Services. Requests for use do not need to be made under most circumstances. If the work in question will be used or falls under the above Fair Use provisions, or copyrighted material will be purchased (i.e.: textbooks), then no request needs to be made.
Copyright infringement Claim?
All copyright infringement claims should be addressed to Matthew Portner, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services, who serves as Ashland University's DMCA Agent.
Email: aux-services@ashland.edu
Call: 419-289-5249
