Opportunity: Copyright awareness creates opportunity.
- If any phrase captures the theme of ARL's Know Your Copy Rights Initiative, this would be it. Knowing that copyright law supports many of the activities involved in teaching, research, and learning redirects energy spent worrying about the law in favor of innovation and creativity.
- Knowledge of what copyright law allows becomes the springboard for new works instead of a barrier.
Creativity: Copyright awareness encourages and stimulates creativity and innovation in teaching and research.
- When faculty are fully aware of the rights afforded them under copyright law and feel confident in the exercise of those rights, the chilling effect of years of fear-driven advice and overreaching by holders begins to lift. The creative process flourishes.
- The quality and reputation of a university is directly linked to the teaching excellence of its faculty and programs; the relevance and innovative solutions it brings to the communities it serves; and the caliber of its research.
Rights: Copyright education expands opportunities by qualifying your institution for greater rights under copyright law.
- In order to fit within the safe harbor for online service providers (§512(e)(1)c or the TEACH Act (§110(2)), your institution must provide educational materials and have policies in place regarding copyright.
Risk Management: A positive, proactive approach to copyright education is a cost-effective risk-management practice.
- A proactive approach allows time to understand the law, the options, the interests at stake, and the potential costs and benefits to our academic missions, values, and freedoms.
- Your institution may be liable for the infringement by employees and/or students.
- Good policies & education allow you to better respond to legal challenges.
- Penalties for infringement can be massive.
- Universities have made and continue to make significant investments for access to print and electronic forms of scholarship.
Responsibility: Copyright education is the kind of responsible behavior expected of an institution of higher education.
- Your institution is the steward of both the money that supports it and the minds of the students who attend.
- Your institution is expected to educate responsibly and comply with the law.
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