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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

Black and white photographs laid out on a wooden table
  • Workshop
February 26, 2025

Image Permissions for Dissertations, Publications, and Research

Learn how to make sense of image rights and seek permission to use images in dissertations and other publications.

  • 2:00pm - 3:00pm
  • Hybrid event: Online and in Class of 1955 Conference Room 241, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, 2nd Floor
Open to Penn Students Only
The iconic Hollywood sign: large white lettering in the mountains overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles
  • Workshop
March 25, 2025

Film and Television Research

Research into historical and contemporary film or television often requires deep dives into unfamiliar primary and secondary sources.

  • 3:00pm - 4:00pm
  • Class of '55 Conference Room, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, Second Floor
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff
Looking down an aisle in the library stacks.
  • Workshop
April 11, 2025

Lunch and Learn: Author Contracts

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

  • 12:15pm - 12:45pm
  • Hybrid event: Online and in Class of 1955 Conference Room 241, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, 2nd Floor
Open to Penn Students Only
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Audience Groups

Staff Information

Resources for Staff Committees