Securing Permission

This section provides some tips on how to gain permission to use copyrighted material. According to Circular 22 of the US Copyright Office:

There are several ways to determine whether a work is under copyright protection and, if so, the facts of the copyright. These are the main ones:

1.Examine a copy of the work for such elements as a copyright notice, place and date of publication, author and publisher.  

If the work is a sound recording, examine the disk, tape cartridge, or cassette in which the recorded sound is fixed, or the album cover, sleeve, or container in which the recording is sold. Press here for Examples.

2.Make a search of the Copyright Office catalogs and other records.

or

3.Have the Copyright Office make a search for you [at a cost of $65 per hour]

Another resource that can be used to obtain copyright  permission is to use a copyright licensing organization or publications rights clearinghouses. The US Copyright office lists several organizations that grant licenses to use a series of copyrighted materials:

1. Song recordings – 
   

2. Motion pictures -
   Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC)
   
3. Print -

4. Photographs – Copyright Clearance Center
   
5. Multimedia – Copyright Clearance Center

For the purposes of classroom projects, permission must be gained within 72 hours of the assignment due date.  If you are unable to secure permission,  you should use alternate materials.  In absence copyright permission, consider complying the fair use guidelines.