Copyright Resources

With the following information, UW Oshkosh Libraries are not providing legal advice or official University of Wisconsin Oshkosh policy. The sources provided are intended as general background information. In determining whether a particular use of a copyrighted work constitutes fair use, such that permission from the copyright owner is not required, is complex and highly dependent on the individual circumstances. Legal advice on specific situations should be referred to the University of Wisconsin System General Counsel.

Copyright Law is complex. Understanding the basic ideas about the exclusive rights of copyright as well as some of the exemptions to those rights will help you to know more about various library services as they relate to copyright. It is also necessary to recognize that copyright has a fixed term that will eventually expire, returning once-copyrighted material to the public domain. Another important issue to understand is that there are exemptions that affect use of copyrighted materials.

For more in-depth exploration of copyright issues, including how to request copyright permission for items not in the public domain or in fair use exemptions, consult the following sites: