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Get Help with Copyright

What exactly is copyright and how do you get it for your own work? What does it mean when something is under copyright, and how does that affect your teaching and scholarship? We can help you understand copyright law and related topics like fair use, the public domain, open access, and why copyright matters to your scholarship, research, and teaching.

Send your question to our copyright advisor

How We Can Help You

Our copyright advisor can offer:

  • Education on basic and advanced copyright law issues  
  • Information on fair use as it applies to class materials, scholarly research and writing, and other uses
  • Information on image permissions
  • Instruction on open access, open educational resources, and open licenses  
  • Consultation on intellectual property provisions of publication agreements

Want to explore our copyright resources on your own? Check out our guide. 

Upcoming Events

An archival image of a medieval dinner scene. On one side, there is a Penelope (from Greek mythology) weaving, but instead of thread, it is a board of binary code. On the other side, there is a a drink spilling and other figures looking distressed/chaotic.
  • Workshop
April 14, 2026

Copyright, AI, and the Future of Creative Works

AI Month at Penn: In this workshop, we will explore pending lawsuits across the country dealing with how to apply copyright law to artificial intelligence. We will consider how the law may develop, and speculate on what this all may mean for both AI development and creative works.

  • 2:00pm - 3:00pm
  • Hybrid: Class of '55, Room 241, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, and Online
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
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