Copyright for Researchers and Scholars

Why Be Concerned With Copyright?

Copyright is a set of legal rights governing ways in which scholarly, scientific, artistic and other original creative works may be used (i.e., copied, distributed, displayed, performed, transmitted, modified or transformed into new works). Infringing a copyright holder's rights is subject to civil and, in rarer cases, criminal penalties. Respecting and upholding a copyright holder's rights is important for compliance with the law; it also reflects academic and professional integrity through the ethical use of information.

As members of an academic and research community, we encounter the copyright system many times a day. Most of us on campus are both owners and users of copyrighted works, and we have rights, responsibilities and choices in each of those roles. For this reason, we need familiarity with copyright law in order to exercise our rights to the fullest and to gain the greatest benefit from the knowledge we acquire and create. Understanding what copyright law governs, what rights we hold as users and owners, and what options we have to exercise those rights will ensure that our work has the widest possible reach, impact and value.

The following pages summarize the key elements of copyright law as they pertain to research and scholarship. "Copyright Basics" provides a general overview of our current copyright system. "Rights of Copyright Owners" and "Rights of Users" each focus on the default rights provided by the law and how we can manage and exercise those rights for maximum benefit. "Copyright Resources" highlights top-quality web sites for learning more about copyright, and useful e-tools to help manage copyrighted resources effectively.

If you have questions about the management of your rights, or about using others’ copyrighted works, please let us know at digital@library.tamu.edu.