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Scholarly Communication: Copyright

The Scholarly Communications committee provides Bucknell’s faculty scholars with customized information, education, and guidance as well as the technical resources and support services needed throughout all steps of the scholarly communications process.

Introduction

Copyright is a form of intellectual property that is meant to protect original works in a fixed medium. We all use copyrighted works every day, and we all hold copyrights (every note you take, every meme you make).

Copyright law has changed over time, but the ways that we use and share information have changed faster. It is important to have some knowledge of copyright to try to ensure that your uses of works are in line with relevant ethical and legal frameworks.

An image defining copyright Copyright is a form of intellectual property that is meant to protect original works in a fixed medium and listing the rights included, Reproduce the work (make copies), Create derivative works ( sequels, adaptations, remixes). Distribute the work and derivatives (sell it or give it away) Display or perform the work publicly. Related important definitions: Public Domain: Works with no rights reserved or that have fallen out of copyright, Fair use: An affirmative defense for certain forms of socially beneficial uses, Creative Commons: A tool for copyright holders to identify which rights they wish to hold exclusively.

This section includes information about copyright law that may be relevant to your teaching and scholarship. 

Please keep in mind that this information is distributed for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. For individual questions, please reach out to copyright@bucknell.edu