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Copyright Information

Information about copyright laws and fair use. Find out how to use sections of print, digital, audio, and visual materials legally

Can I make a copy of a book?

You may make a copy of the book once it passes into the public domain. See table, When Does a Work Pass into the Public Domain? to determine if the work is in the public domain.

Can I make a copy of a chapter or less of a book?

You may make a copy of a book once it passes into the public domain. See table: When Does a Work Pass into the Public Domain?

You may also make a copy of a chapter or less of a book if your copying passes the fair use test. See section on Fair Use.

 

Can I link to the full text of a book on my web site?

You are responsible for copyright permission for your own web site.

Just because something is on the Internet and is easy to use, does not mean it is free to use!  Be sure to cite or attribute what you do use appropriately. Internet resources often combine both copyrighted and public domain content. Use care in downloading any content from websites. Check site to see if permission should be requested or if allowed.

Be aware of the copyright ramifications of including embedded additional links to that particular site. Deep linking to pages several levels deep within a site may also lose this context and raise the objections of a site owner. These are at the very least courtesy situations and may be considered contributory infringement. In losing context, you may obscure attribution.