Copyright & the Classroom

This page will help guide you through copyright issues to consider when you are using copies of any kind of material for your classes. Each section shows contacts for questions. For general questions, please contact Chris Hannon, Neilson Library, x2911.

• Smith College Copyright Policies
• Policy for Acceptable Use of Computer Resources

Copying Print Material for Distribution or Library Reserves

Step One: Determine the copyright holder.

• For books, examine both sides of the title page for the © statement.
• For journal articles, look at the article itself or the front matter of the journal for a copyright statement.
• The copyright holder is usually either the publisher or the author.

Step Two: Determine the copyright status of the work.

• Check the web site Copyright Information & Resources: Public Domain (University of Minnesota)
• If the work is in the public domain (not protected by copyright), there are no restrictions on your use.
• If the work is still protected by copyright, consult the fair use worksheet (University of Minnesota) to determine if you need permission.

Step Three: Request permission if needed.

• Administrative Assistants in each department can request permissions through the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) or directly from the publisher. For more information, see How to Obtain Permissions.

Step Four: Make copies or send copying request to Central Services.

Questions? Contact Chris Hannon, channon@smith.edu, 585-2911, Neilson Library.

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Copying/Scanning Print Material for E-Reserves/Moodle

Note: These procedures apply whether you're using the Libraries' e-reserve service or doing the work yourself.

Step One: Determine if an online copy is available.

• For journal articles, link to an online version whenever possible. Then you do not need to worry about copyright. Check the Libraries' journal locator for availability.
• If you're submitting an e-reserves list to the Libraries, note all items available online. Do not provide copies of these items for scanning.
• If you're linking to articles yourself, put the links on your Moodle site so they are password protected. Look for a persistent link to use; this may be called a durable or stable link.  Otherwise your link may be only temporary.  For help, please contact the Neilson Library reference desk, x2960.
• You may also link to other websites if you acknowledge them at the link.
• If you need to scan items (or have them scanned), follow the steps below.

Step Two: Determine the copyright holder.

• For books, examine both sides of the title page for the © statement.
• For journal articles, look at the article itself or the front matter of the journal for a copyright statement.
• The copyright holder is usually either the publisher or the author.

Step Three: Determine the copyright status.

• Determine the copyright holder and year by examining both sides of the title page for a book and the actual article or front matter for a journal.
• Check the web site Copyright Information & Resources: Public Domain (University of Minnesota)
• If the work is in the public domain (not protected by copyright), there are no restrictions on your use.
• If the work is still protected by copyright, consult the fair use worksheet (University of Minnesota) to determine if you need permission.

Step Four: Request permissions if needed.

• Administrative Assistants in each department can request permissions through the Copyright Clearance Center or directly from the publisher. For more information, see How to Obtain Permissions.

Step Five: Submit materials to the Libraries or link items to your Moodle course.

• Consult the Libraries' procedures.

Questions? Contact Chris Hannon, channon@smith.edu, 585-2911, Neilson Library.

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Creating Course Packs

Questions? Contact the Grecourt Bookshop, 585-4140, bookorders@smith.edu.

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Copying Images to Show in Class or Put on Moodle

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Copy Media

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