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Schoolcraft College Writing Fellows

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Introduction to Copyright Law

It is not our intention to provide comprehensive information about the copyright law. Other web sites--including the website for the United States Copyright Office--are better suited for that task. Instead, our "Introduction to Copyright Law" is designed to provide general information about copyright law as it relates to teaching.

Fair Use

Although copyright law protects the interests of the copyright holder, it does not grant exclusive rights to that individual. There are provisions in the law that allow other people--such as faculty members--to reproduce copyrighted materials without the permission of the copyright holder. In order for copies to be considered fair use, certain criteria must be met.

We have reproduced the Fair Use Checklist that is part of Schoolcraft Policy 3112.1. Explanations are given for the various terms used on the checklist.

TEACH Act

When the TEACH Act was signed into law, it allowed--in certain circumstances--the right for faculty members to reproduce copyrighted materials in digital format.

We have developed a TEACH Act Rubric to assist Schoolcraft College faculty members determine if they can digitally distribute a specific piece of copyrighted material without first getting the author's permission.

Additional Information

"Introduction to Copyright Law" also includes information on the following topics:

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Please note:

The information provided here is meant to help educate indivduals about copyright law, fair use, and the TEACH Act. It is not intended as legal advice.


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Schoolcraft College Writing Fellows
18600 Haggerty
Livonia, MI 48152
734-462-4400 (ext. 5292)
fellows@schoolcraft.edu
Writing Fellows is one of the services provided by the Learning Assistance Center.
For more information about other services provided by the Learning Assistance Center, go to the LAC Home Page or call (734) 462-4436
This page was last updated on October 28, 2004.
Copyright © 2004 Schoolcraft College Writing Fellows Program