How to Comply with Copyright Law

Steps for the Vassar College Community

  1. Read over the Vassar College Policy and Principles.
  2. Familiarize yourself with Public Domain and the concept of Fair Use by consulting When Works Pass into the Public Domain and the Fair Use & Factors Test pages.
  3. Consult the U.S. Copyright Search Service for copyright information on books, music, movies, software, and more.
  4. If you are planning to use electronic material, see the Database Licenses page to see if Vassar has entered into any licensing agreements that may further restrict use.
  5. After having determined that the material you wish to use is not in the public domain and your use does not fall within the limitations of fair use and/or a pertinent licensing/acquisition agreement, consult the Asking Permission pages. 
  6. If you still have questions, see the VC Resources page for a list of people who can give you additional suggestions and assistance.