Copyright law is intended to "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." U.S. Const., art. I, § 8, cl. 8.
Copyright protects “original works of authorship,” both published and unpublished, that are fixed in a tangible form of expression.
There are exceptions for the sake of education and encouraging new creative and intellectual works.
For more information on what types of materials are or are not eligible to be protected by copyright and on the limitations of copyright, see Copyright Basics from the U.S. Copyright Office.
The information presented here is intended for informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have specific legal questions pertaining to copyright and intellectual property, please contact the legal offices of your institution.
This guide and your librarian.
Copyright protections are given to any original work that is “fixed in any tangible medium of expression at the work’s creation.” Facts, ideas, U.S. government works and any work published before 1923 are considered public domain.
Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows the public to make limited uses of copyrighted works without permission. Fair use may not be what you expect. Therefore, do not assume that a nonprofit, educational use or giving credit for the source of the work, or that limiting access to materials to students in the class creates an inherent fair use. Fair use depends on a balancing of four factors, which may be addressed by a variety of means.
Many people mistakenly assume that everything posted on the Internet is in the public domain. It is vital for you to know that current copyright law gives legal protection to nearly all text, images, audiovisual recordings, and other materials that are posted on the Internet, even if the original works do not include any statement about copyright. Always give attribution.
What is the Claremont Colleges copyright policy?
The policy for the Claremont Colleges can be found here. Each individual campus may have their own policy.