Copyright is one of the most easily confused areas of concern in higher education - and, indeed, in the world outside learning.

What materials can be used, in what way and for what purposes are topics that are not always clear to even the most seasoned media producer. We’ve compiled a few excellent resources to not only help you understand copyright but to offer you options for staying in the clear on your next project.

Copyright & Fair Use Policy, Washington College

Washington College’s Copyright and Fair Use Policy explains copyright law and how it applies to teachers, researchers, authors, students, and staff at our institution. You can read more about our principals and the full policy statement at Principles of the Policy/Policy Statement. To get an understanding about our guidelines, you can visit our Guidelines page.  In the links below you can find copyright information that pertaining to audio, video or other multimedia sources. 

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

Recording and Duplicating Audio

Recording and Duplicating Video

Recording and Videotaping Events

The TEACH Act accords special rights to teachers to use copyrighted materials in the classroom and distance-learning environments.

Center for Social Media, American University

AU has created their Center for Social Media as a launching point for using all forms of media in public works. This resource was created by the School of Communications at AU and offers in depth resources for creating projects that use cultural media to affect change for the common good.

TEACH Act - Penn State

The TEACH Act sets down guidelines for how educators can use public media in support of the classroom environment. Penn State has created a helpful guide for interpreting the TEACH Act and what it means in individual cases.

Media Search - Creative Commons

Once you understand the importance of using copyright-safe media in your projects, you may be wondering where you can find the right resources. Creative Commons (a pioneering copyright endeavor) has created a search engine that enables you to find CC licensed music, pictures and more from the web.