Copyright Information for Authors, Researchers, and Scholars

Rights of copyright holders

1. Reproduction
2. Modification
3. Distribution
4. Public performance
5. Public display

Who owns the copyright?

• Creators of original works
• Creators' assignees
• Employers: works for hire

Sample Statements of Ownership

Learn about Creative Commons through YouTube

Use Creative Commons to add your copyright notice to your ETD.

Permission to use a copyrighted work is NOT required if:

• Work is a fact or an idea
• Fair use
• Work is in the public domain

A public domain work is not protected by copyright and may be freely used by everyone. A work is also in the public domain if it is a work of the US Government or the term of copyright has expired.

Tools to help determine when copyright expires:

• When US Works Pass into the Public Domain (UNC)
• Copyright Term and Public Domain (Cornell)
• Is It Protected by Copyright? (ALA)

US © Office

• Circulars and Factsheets
• Copyright Basics (2008)

Copyright Information for VT

• Citing copyrighted works
• Citation Management Tools
• © Policies and Tools
• ETD Copyright Flier

Fair Use Tools

• Fair Use Analyzer Test tool
• Fair Use Checklist Weigh the 4 factors

Registering copyright

Why?
Possibly receive greater compensation, with less documentation when filing an infringement suit

• Register online
• Fees

Negotiate with Publishers

Do you need permission?

• Sherpa RoMEO
• Elsevier’s policy

Sample letter to request permission

Publishers Attitudes towards ETDs

• Do Open Access ETDs Diminish Publishing Opportunities in the Social Sciences and Humanities?
  Ramirez et al. College & Research Libraries, 2013.
• Do Open Access ETDs Effect Publishing Opportunities in the Sciences? Findings from the 2012 Survey of Academic Journal Editors.
  Ramirez et al. College & Research Libraries, 2013.
• Preliminary Findings from the 2012 Science Publishers' Survey
  McMillan et al., 15th International Symposium on ETDs, 2012
• Findings from the 2011 Humanities and Social Science Publishers' Survey
  College and Research Libraries. Preprint March 2012
• Do ETDs Deter Publishers?
  College and Research Libraries News, 2001
• ETDs: A Survey of Editors and Publishers
  Joan Dalton, International Symposium on ETDs, 2000
• ETDs as Prior Publication: What the Editors Say
  Nancy Seamans, Library Hi Tech, 2003
• ETDs: Two Surveys of Editors and Publishers
  Joan Dalton and Nancy Seamans in ETD: A Sourcebook for Educators, Students, and Librarians. NY: Marcel Dekker, 2004