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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

Looking down an aisle in the stacks on the Penn Museum Library. A museum gallery is visible in the background through a large glass wall.
  • Workshop
September 18, 2024

Copyright and Your Dissertation

Copyright law can be confusing at the best of times, and it's even worse when you're also trying to write your dissertation. This workshop will provide basic but essential information on how copyright law applies to the writing and deposit of your dissertation.

  • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
  • Hybrid: Meyerson Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, and Virtual
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
Looking down an aisle in the stacks on the Penn Museum Library. A museum gallery is visible in the background through a large glass wall.
  • Workshop
September 20, 2024

Publishing Contracts and Copyright

This workshop will discuss common author contract provisions, especially as they relate to copyright and the rights you may retain after signing.

  • 1:00pm - 2:00pm
  • Hybrid: Meyerson Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, and Virtual
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
Student studying a binder of papers.
  • Workshop
November 7, 2024

Lunch and Learn: Publishing Contracts and Copyright

This workshop will discuss common author contract provisions, especially as they relate to copyright and the rights you may retain after signing.

  • 10:00am - 11:00am
  • Class of 1955 Conference Room 241, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, 2nd Floor
Open to Penn Students Only
Service Category
Audience Groups