{"id":4949,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:49","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/smallbusiness\/intellectual-property\/copyright-and-education.html"},"modified":"2024-06-29T00:22:35","modified_gmt":"2024-06-29T05:22:35","slug":"copyright-and-education","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/intellectual-property\/copyright-and-education.html","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Using Copyrighted Material in Education"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Using Copyrighted Material in School<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Amber Sheppard, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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Editorial Note: We earn a commission from affiliate partner links on FindLaw. Commissions do not affect the editorial integrity of our legal content.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Many copyrighted works<\/a> can help teachers and students in the classroom. It wouldn’t make sense for them to buy licenses for works<\/a> they use to demonstrate an idea or back up an assertion on a term paper. There are copyright protection laws educators and students must follow.<\/p>\r\n

The Fair Use Doctrine<\/a> allows teachers and students to use certain copyrighted works for free in school. The use must be for educational purposes.<\/p>\r\n

While the law allows people to use original works of authorship for educational reasons, it requires them to pay a fee if their use goes beyond what one considers fair. Institutions should educate their students and faculty about what constitutes fair use and when intellectual property law requires them to pay copyright holders<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

This FindLaw article explains what the law means by fair use<\/a>. It also describes the types of intellectual property rights<\/a> educators must respect. Finally, it touches on how the internet and social media impact authors’ and creators’ exclusive rights to their work.<\/p>\r\n

Copyright Law and Protected Works<\/h2>\r\n

A person can copyright something tangible that they create. This could be a book, recipe, screenplay, or sound recording. They can apply to the U.S. Copyright Office<\/a> and request a copyright registration for their work. Entrepreneurs and small-business owners act as agents of their companies and can register works.<\/p>\r\n

How Is a Copyright Different From a Patent or Trademark?<\/h2>\r\n

It can be easy to confuse a copyright with a patent<\/a> or trademark. Suppose you don’t want to commit copyright infringement<\/a> and pay attorney’s fees and damages. In that case, it’s essential to understand the basics of:<\/p>\r\n