Copyright in the Library

Gretchen McCord discusses the many important aspects of copyright law. She covers how they are very often misunderstood by K-12 librarians (and teachers, administration, and other K-12 educators), the result of which is significantly diminished effectiveness in our educational system. With a strong focus on Fair Use in a digital environment, Gretchen covers new situations that have arisen with new technology.

The purpose of copyright law, including limits on copyright holders' rights.

Gretchen McCord address basic copyright concerns.

Questions and answers from the article, "Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright and Fair Use." Fold these in half to use with the "Copyright in the Library" icebreaker activity.

Gretchen McCord addresses school librarians' common questions about copyright.

This infographic provides a handy reference on the four factors of fair use.

An explanation of fair use and its purpose.

Gretchen McCord explains fair use for librarians.

Fair use guidelines. What they are and how to use them.

Selected resources on copyright in schools.

When it comes to copyrighted materials, what you're doing is far more important than the format involved.

Misunderstanding or lack of knowledge about copyright law can lead librarians to be overly cautious when making decisions about copyrighted materials.

What foundations should we be building and drawing upon for support? We can approach this vulnerability from two angles. First, we have to deliver online learning from a place of solid instructional design. Whether curated or designed from scratch, online learning is much more than a format shift: it is an entire redesign. And second, we have to consider how to do this responsibly.

Join librarian Alyssa Mandel and our very own editorial operations specialist Erin Ryan for a frank conversation on the nitty gritty ins and outs of copyright in Schools, Conferences, and Publications; tailored for public, elementary and secondary, and academic librarians, as well as other educators navigating the world of copyright.

With the spread of digital materials, we are moving from copyright based on law to copyright based on contracts (licenses).

Six common misconceptions about copyright explained.

Gretchen McCord discussed the many important aspects of copyright law. She covered how they are very often misunderstood by K-12 librarians (and teachers, administration, and other K-12 educators), the result of which is significantly diminished effectiveness in our educational system. With a strong focus on Fair Use in a digital environment, Gretchen covered new situations that have arisen with new technology.

Common beliefs about Fair Use to use with the "Copyright in the Library" activity.