Copyright Policies for Library Departments and Collections

See the following for information on the the FAU Libraries' policies on copyright for individual photocopying, library departments, and collections.

Individual Photocopying and scanning

Copyright Law of the United States (U.S. Code Title 17) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. One of the specified conditions of this law is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be, "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." FAU library users must comply with the copyright law.

Notices as specified by the law and the U.S. Register of Copyrights will be posted in highly visible locations on or near each supervised or unsupervised duplicator (photocopier, audio duplicator, scanner, or computer).

Course Reserves

FAU Libraries Course Reserves respects fair use, the rights of copyright holders, and copyright law. See FAU Libraries Copyright and Reserve for its general policies.

Digital Library

See Digital Library Collection Development Policy (Copyright Permissions and Policy Responsibility).

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Copyright Law of the United States (U.S. Code, Title 17) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be, "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction in excess of " fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order or place an item on Course Reserve if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order or request would involve violation of copyright law.

See Interlibrary and Resource Sharing Policies for ILL Copyright Policies and additional information.

Media Collection

Titles in our collection are not cleared for audio or video duplication without the written consent of the copyright holder.

Florida Atlantic University and the Media Center adhere to the United States' Copyright Law (Public Law 94-533) of 1976 as amended, and urge all members of the FAU community to be aware of and abide by it. We also support the Off-Air Taping Guidelines for Educational Purposes as read 13 into the Congressional Record. Only open broadcast programs may be recorded. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, etc., pay services such as HBO, Cinemax, Disney, and free cable-only services such as Lifetime, USA, and MTV do not fall into the open broadcast category and cannot be taped.

Questions regarding Public Service policies should be directed to Access Services.

Recorded Sound Archives (RSA)

See Recorded Sound Archives Copyright.

Special Collections (SPC)

Materials in the Libraries' collections are to be used for private study, scholarship, or research in accord with the copyright law of the United States (United States Code Title 17). FAU Libraries adhere to all conditions specified in the law when providing reproductions of copyrighted material. Any subsequent use of a reproduction in excess of "fair use," may result in the user’s liability for copyright infringement.

When using electronic copies or images, please keep in mind that copyright law applies. Permission from the Special Collections Department is required when downloading, printing, reproducing or copying items from our digital collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright permission from the rights holder when copying material in excess of fair use. Restriction in the copying of materials may be imposed if the researcher does not have written permission from the rights holder.

Should the researcher use or reproduce special collections material when submitting or publishing his or her own writing or research, the author must credit Florida Atlantic University Libraries Special Collections. If research at FAU Special Collections results in publication, we would appreciate citation information that would allow us to reference that work to future researchers.

See full details at SPC Copyright Information.

Use of Licensed Electronic Resources Policy (Copyright)

Florida Atlantic University does not permit the illegal downloading and/or sharing of copyrighted material in any form or manner; see FAU OIT Technology Policies and Digital Millennium Copyright Act, University Policy. Electronic resources are protected by copyright and are subject to all applicable copyright and database protection rights under the laws of the United States and other countries. All uses including downloading, printing or creating copies of content from these resources must be consistent with existing fair use laws as defined by the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) or international law.

See more details at Use of Licensed Electronic Resources Policy.

Disclaimer: The FAU Libraries and its faculty, staff, and administration are not attorneys and cannot interpret the law. This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not substitute for advice from legal counsel.

Copyright Research Guide: Introduction to copyright, fair use, public domain, and copyright law.
Copyright for Teaching and Learning: Explanations of how copyright applies to fair use, Classroom Use Exception, online courses, making copies, and recommended best practices.
Fair Use: A copyright exception that allows limited sharing or reuse of works depending on its details.
Is It Protected by Copyright? By The American Libraries Association Office for Information Technology Policy; enter details of a work published in the U.S. to estimate its copyright protection status.