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Coastal Carolina Community College Copyright and Fair Use Policy: last reviewed May 2021

Members of the College community are advised to become as knowledgeable as possible regarding copyright law and procedures. Coastal Carolina Community College directs its employees to obtain permission from copyright holders directly, or their licensing representative, when the reproduction or duplication exceeds fair use. It is the policy of Coastal Carolina Community College to adhere to the doctrine of “fair use” as incorporated in the United States Copyright Law of 1976, Section 107 as amended (Title 17, U.S. Code). This section addresses the needs of scholars, teachers, and researchers, and applies to all media. To determine whether the use of a work is within fair use, the law defines four factors to consider:

1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit, education purposes
2. The nature of the copyrighted work
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work

Faculty and staff have the ultimate responsibility to adhere to the law and to produce written documentation of permission granted if copying or duplicating exceeds fair use. Individuals who willfully disregard these procedures and guidelines do so at their own risk and may be subject to personal liability. The College regards violation of these procedures as a serious matter. Any such violation is without the College’s consent and is subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Policy Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all students, staff, and faculty comply with federal copyright law.

Copyright Resources:

U.S. Copyright Office- This is the U.S. government's website on copyright. 
Copyright Quick Guide-This guide explains the fundamental principles of copyright.
Copyright Basics Video-This short video explains copyright basics.