MC Library Research Guides: Use Copyrighted Materials in the Classroom: Home

This guide provides information on copyright and creative commons for faculty.

The information presented here is intended for informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice.

Students! Use the Learn About Copyright link below. This site is for instructors and isn't focused on your needs.

Learn About Copyright
by Niyati Pandya Last Updated Sep 6, 2023 389 views this year

Is It Protected by Copyright?

Protected: Work of the Visual Arts

Includes: photographs, prints, art reproductions, maps, technical drawings, architectural works

Not Protected: Ideas, Methods, and Systems

Includes: ideas, procedures, systems, concepts, principles, discoveries, and inventions (may be covered by a patent)

Protected: Literary Works

Includes: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, textbooks, advertising copy, and computer programs

Not Protected: Works Not Fixed in a Tangible Form

Examples: a choreographic work or improvisational speech that has not been written down

Protected: Sound Recordings

Includes: recordings of songs and other musical performances

Not Protected: Familiar Symbols and Designs

Includes: letters or symbols on a keyboard, musical notations, arrows, yin yangs, patterns (such as polka dot), and religious symbols

Drawing of the comedy drama theater masks.

Protected: Work of the Performing Arts

Includes: scripts for plays or movies and choreography

Not Protected: Names, Titles, Short Phrases

Includes: names of people or characters, titles, names of businesses or products, slogans (may be covered by a trademark)

Symbol of a film reel with the arrow play icon.

Protected: Motion Picture/Audiovisual Works

Includes: films of all kinds, television shows, videogames, and their accompanying sounds

Additional Library Support

Faculty Select
The Faculty Select platform allows MC faculty to find and adopt a licensed e-book or e-textbook, or an Open Educational Resource (OER), to use as their course text. It contains thousands of high-quality titles on a wide variety of academic subjects. Any item adopted as a course text through Faculty Select will be made available to you and your students completely free of cost.
Library Instruction Request Form
Our librarians are experts in providing tailored research and information literacy instruction to your classes. We can also partner with you to design assignments or use library tutorials, videos, or quizzes.
Tutorials, Videos, and Quizzes
You can assign your students online tutorials, videos, and quizzes or embed these items in your Blackboard courses. Many tutorials and videos also have quizzes that allow automatic grading in Blackboard.

Teach with MC Library

Disclaimer

Links to other websites are for the convenience of our users and are not intended as endorsements. The College is not responsible for any information provided on those websites.

Neither the College nor the library is legally responsible for the use of the copyright information on this page. The user retains legal responsibility for all decisions on copyright matters.

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