This page contains frequently asked questions about respecting copyright, and will be updated as new questions arise.
Have a question not answered here? Please contact us!
Usually yes, but check the copyright status and usage permissions.
For example, you might want to use this image of the Mona Lisa for your class. You can find image permissions on Wikipedia by clicking on the image and pressing the "More details" button, then scrolling down to the Permissions section. In this case, the original painting has entered the public domain in most countries, including Canada and the United States, and moreover Wikipedia's position is that "faithful reproductions of two-dimensional public domain works of art are public domain".
However, this interpretation is not accepted everywhere, so we should visit the website for the Louvre, where the photo was originally posted. The Louvre’s legal information and terms of use state that “non-commercial re-use is authorized, provided the source and author are acknowledged”, which gives you the permission you need. You should use the publisher's preferred citation of “© RMN/Grand-Palais (musée de Louvre) / Michel Urtado”.
Learning how to respect image copyright can seem daunting at first, but once you learn the basics you will find that it does not take long.
Usually yes, but check whether the materials are restricted.
The Statistics Canada copyright notice includes an open licence agreement, which permits you to share most data with your students as long as you acknowledge the source. You should also check for any data excluded from the agreement and respect the preferred citation format.
You may need to request permission.
Canadian government documents are governed by a special concept called Crown copyright. Until November 2013, non-commercial sharing of most Crown copyrighted works was permitted, but now each department or agency sets its own copyright policy. The Crown copyright and licensing website includes a list of copyright contacts for these departments and agencies.
Yes, with some exceptions.
Most government publications of the United States are not copyright-protected, but please consult the government works website for more information, including exceptions.
Yes, but check the usage permissions if you need to adapt.
There are many different Creative Commons licences, but every licence permits non-commercial sharing without adaptation, and some allow additional uses. Find usage permissions just below images or by following links to additional information. Please contact us if you have additional questions or concerns.
Creative Commons offers a meta-search feature that searches websites like Google Images and Flickr from one search bar, and includes filters for adaptation and commercial use.
The photograph has entered the public domain, but if the book where it appears is still copyright-protected, you must seek permission to use the image. However, the Centennial College Fair Dealing Policy for Copyright-Protected Work permits you to share one image per work without seeking permission from copyright holders. If you need to share more than one image per work, additional permissions may be required, so please contact us to seek clearance.
You can share one image from a work that contains multiple artistic works.
The Centennial College Fair Dealing Policy for Copyright-Protected Work permits you to share one image per work without seeking permission from copyright holders. If you need to share more than one image per work, additional permissions may be required, so please contact us to seek clearance.
Check the licensing terms.
Every database subscription uses different licensing terms: some allow uploading works to eCentennial and including them in course packs, but others do not. Please consult CLEAR, Centennial’s licence permissions database, to learn how you can share licensed content with your students.
Check the licensing terms.
Every database subscription uses different licensing terms: some allow uploading works to eCentennial and including them in course packs, but others do not. Please consult CLEAR, Centennial’s licence permissions database, to learn how you can share licensed content with your students.
Sharing more than one image per work, including mulitple charts or graphs, exceeds the limits of the Centennial College Fair Dealing Policy for Copyright-Protected Work. If you need to share more than one image per work, please contact us to seek clearance.
From the library website, navigate to E-Resources, and underneath E-Resources by Type, click Images.
When database terms do not permit your proposed copying or you need to copy beyond the limits of the Centennial College Fair Dealing Policy for Copyright-Protected Work, contact the copyright team.
Creating proper citations for your work can seem daunting, but the library has resources to answer your questions!
