Learn About Copyright: Images, Social Media, and Libraries

Be aware that copying or downloading an online image without permission or acknowledging the source may be copyright infringement and illegal. Altering an image without permission is also illegal.

Giving credit is not a substitute for getting permission to use the image from the copyright holder.

Don't assume that an image without a copyright symbol it isn't copyrighted. The use of a copyright notice or symbol is not required under US law. 

If you are in doubt, check with the owner of the website or the hosting organization about the image you want to use. Or, use one of the websites linked below to locate images that you can use. Make sure to follow all licensing guidelines for each image.

If a copyright owner retains the right to distribute copies of their work, how can libraries lend copyrighted materials, like books, movies, music, and more?

The explanation lies in a part of the US Copyright Act called the First Sale Doctrine. Under the First Sale Doctrine, the copy of a work is the property of the person who purchased it, not the copyright owner. The purchaser has the right to sell, lend, or share their copy of the work.

Unfortunately, most publishers do not sell e-books to libraries. Rather, they allow libraries to license e-books, which means the library doesn't own the copy of the e-book, and the First Sale Doctrine does not apply. This allows e-book publishers to place restrictions on how libraries can share their licensed e-books.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act was passed in 1998 and provides strong protection to copyright holders of digital materials.

Source: American Library Association

Works posted on social media are covered by copyright protections. Learn more about copyright and social media using the resources linked below.