For many educators, the line between copyright "Do's and Don'ts" is blurry, especially in the online environment. Here are a few links to build understanding of basic copyright laws.

Texas Tech Links

• University Library Copyright Information
• University Library Reserve Policies and Procedures and Reserves Request Form
• Information Technology Division Copyright
• TTU Operating Policy and Procedure : OP 30.22: Guidelines for the Educational Use of Copyrighted Works
• Sample Letter to Copyright Owner

Other Links

• Want a quick answer? Watch this great video from the Copyright Clearance Center. It is short and straight to the point.
• Know Your Copy Rights Brochure, by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
• Know Your Copy Rights Website
• Creative Commons Share, Remix, Reuse - Legally
• U.S. Copyright Office
• Copyright Alliance Education Foundation
• Best Practices from the Center for Media and Social Impact
• Copyright and Fair Use from the Stanford University Libraries
• Copyrights and Wrongs from the American Association of University Professors
• The Copyright Crash Course from the University of Texas at Austin
• Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States from Cornell University
• A Map of Use Issues from the University of Minnesota
• Copyright Tools from the American Library Association
• Tales From the Public Domain: Bound By Law? A comic book from public domain scholars at the Duke University Law School

Sample Requests for Permission

As the above links will educate you, many will need to acquire permission from publishers. This is often the case when videos or chapters from a book are shared with online learners. Feel free to use the following templates for starters:

• Publisher Permission Request Form
• Publisher Permission Request Letter
• Sample Letter to Copyright Owner (this is a direct link to a sample letter attached to TTU's Operating Policy and Procedure: OP 30.22: Guidelines for the Educational Use of Copyrighted Works found above.