Welcome! This guide is designed to help students, faculty, and staff understand how copyright affects the use, sharing, and creation of content in an academic setting.
Whether you're assigning readings, posting to Canvas, publishing your own work, or using images in a presentation, this guide will provide tools and strategies to help you make informed, legal choices.
Use the tabs above to explore topics like Fair Use, Creative Commons, and using copyrighted materials responsibly.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact the library—we're here to help!
Coastal Carolina Community College's Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines can be found in Section V, Page 14 of the Full-Time Faculty and Staff Handbook, and Section V, Page 15 of the Part-Time Faculty and Staff Handbook, it states:
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:
- the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for non-profit, education purposes;
- the nature of the copyrighted work;
- the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole;
- 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.
Reviewed: 5/14/21