Owens Library Copyright Permission

To be compliant with copyright laws when placing an item on reserve for more than a one-time spontaneous use, permission must first be obtained from the copyright holder. (Reprinting a journal article in a course pack or placing a scanned document on a restricted Web site are also subject to copyright law restrictions.) In the interest of consistency and efficiency, Owens Library staff will take responsibility for the initial attempt to secure copyright permission for Reserve items, at the library's expense, from the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). CCC is an organization that provides a licensing system for the reproduction of copyrighted materials. If we are unable to acquire permission from CCC, the faculty member who requested the item for Reserve will be given the responsibility of obtaining permission to reproduce the article for Reserve use. If faculty wish to place a scanned document on a restricted Web site (i.e. eCollege or Blackboard) or in a course pack, the faculty member will be responsible for gaining copyright permission.

Following are tips for recognizing copyrighted material and obtaining copyright permission:

Fair Use Questionnaire to help you determine whether use of a copyrighted source falls under educational fair use guidelines as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Law of the United States of America
Addresses for publishers of journals can be located in Ulrich's Periodicals Directory
A sample letter for gaining copyright permission is in a Microsoft Word document (Note: After opening the document, click on File, Save As and modify for individual use)
Annotated hyperlinks to Web sites regarding copyrighted materials and educational fair use issues
A selected listing of current Copyright Materials in Owens Library at Northwest Missouri State University
Fair Use and Copyright Bibliography

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