Research Guides: Copyright for Educators: Resources for Humboldt Educators

Seeking Permission

If your intended use is not covered under one of the few exceptions or limitations to copyright, you will need to seek permission from the copyright holder. Here are some helpful steps to guide you during this process:

Identify the Copyright Holder

Warning: this is not always the same as the creator!

Ask for Permission

Give the copyright holder all of the pertinent information they will need to make their decision (e.g. the who, what, when, where, and why of your request).
Decide whether or not you are willing to pay a licensing fee.

Keep a Record

Identifying the Copyright Holder

Here is a short list of databases that can help you indentify who the copyright holder of the work is:

The Copyright Office Catalog
The Copyright Office Catalog contains approximately 20 million records for works registered and documents recorded with the Copyright Office since 1978.
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The Copyright Office Catalog is one integrated database that includes registrations and pre-registrations for books, music, films, sound recordings, maps, software, photographs, art, multimedia, periodicals, magazines, journals, newspapers, etc., as well as records for assignments, transfers, and other documents relating to copyright ownership.
Firms Out of Business (FOB)
Database for locating current copyright holders or contacts when the known holder is out of business.
Writers, Artists, and Their Copyright Holders (WATCH)
Database for locating copyright holders or contacts for permission to use protected text or images.
Catalog of Copyright Entries
Scanned records of copyright ownership from the United States Copyright Office for the period from July 1891 through December 1977.
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The Catalogs of Copyright Entries (CCEs) are published compilations of copyright registration records cataloged in periods ranging from semiweekly to semiannually.
Stanford's Copyright Renewal Database
Searchable database of the copyright renewal records received by the US Copyright Office between 1950 and 1992 for books published in the US between 1923 and 1963.
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Note that the database includes ONLY US Class A (book) renewals.

Copyright in the News

Interested in current news related to copyright? Here are a few web resources you may find useful:

Scholarly Communications @ Duke
This blog out of Duke University, run by Scholarly Communications Officer Kevin Smith, provides information about current developments in the fields of copyright, intellectual property, licensing, and scholarly publishing.
Copyright Librarian
This blog is run by Nancy Sims, Copyright Program Librarian at the University of Minnesota. Topics frequently covered include news and discussion on: copyright law, scholarship, communication and higher education issues.
Fairly Used Blog
Stanford University's copyright blog run by Mary Minow. This resource provides interesting commentary on current issues, news, and events concerning copyright.
District Dispatch
District Dispatch is the official blog of the American Library Association’s Washington Office. The blog covers federal library legislation, policy and related news.

HSU Policies

Copying Policy
HSU's Copying Policy outlines the guidelines for classroom copying that all staff and faculty must adhere to.
Intellectual Property Policy
HSU's Intellectual Property Policy addresses the rights to, interest in, protection and transfer of intellectual property created by University faculty, staff, and students.

HSU Library Course Reserves

About Course Reserves
Learn about HSU's Course Reserve system and its associated services offered by the library.
Submitting Materials to Reserves
Link to filling out the online form to request that material is added to the Library's print reserves..
Search Course Reserves
See what is currently available on reserve for courses at HSU.