Typical questions

• • Which Creative Commons license should I use?

• • Can I reproduce this image in my book?

Starting points

• • Common questions from students relate to legal limits on copying/downloading and the reuse of materials in their dissertations. The latter question is often related to concerns about plagiarism so they may benefit from consulting the Citing, Referencing and Plagiarism chapter.

• • Lecturers often enquire about copyright in relation to online learning materials. It is a common assumption by authors that they own the copyright of their own material, however licenses differ and should always be checked.

• • Authors may need to check their copyright and intellectual property rights when publishing research. They may also require advice on how to get permission to reuse materials from other sources.

• • Copyright regulations usually relate to jurisdiction, type of material (e.g. image, text) and usage so remember to check exactly what is required. The Images and Photographs chapter provides links to databases where copyright-free images can be located.

• • Questions frequently require specialist legal advice. The resources below offer general starting points for help. They include a general section and advice for educational copying and authors, plus an overview of Creative Commons licenses. However, do check if the university has a local copyright specialist first!

Recommended resources

Organisations – UK

Good starting points are official government departments and library/information professional websites.

CILIP

www.cilip.org.uk

Professional body for UK librarians and information specialists. Provides basic copyright advice designed for libraries and archives. The website includes links to recommended online resources. Its commercial publishing arm – Facet Publishing (www.facetpublishing.co.uk) publishes key texts on interpreting UK copyright law.

Copyright Circle

www.copyrightcircle.co.uk

Long-established commercial service headed by Graham Cornish which offers advice and training for library and museum staff.

Intellectual Property Office

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office

Official UK government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trademarks and copyright. Its copyright section includes advice on exceptions to copyright, guidance on tracing rights holders and orphan works, as well as news, training resources and access to full text legislation.

Organisations – authors

These offer advice for authors on checking contracts and licensing their work.

Society of Authors

www.societyofauthors.org

UK trade union for writers and authors.

Writers and Artists

www.writersandartists.co.uk

Online forum with a collection of free articles and advice on all aspects of the UK writing and publishing process from the publishers of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook.