Copyright and Intellectual Property at Macalester
Most copyright conversations start with one of these two questions:
This website is a first stop to providing guidance to you in answering these questions.
In addition, your Research & Instruction Librarians and Academic Information Associates offer one-on-one and small group consultation on topics related to rights and intellectual property issues in research and publishing. Librarians also teach workshops on request and can visit classes, labs, or research teams for training or discussion of copyright issues in-person, or via video with Macalester College faculty, staff, students, and other members of our broader community.
While we are not attorneys, and we can’t give legal advice, we can provide information to help you understand the legal landscape, and discuss common approaches to similar topics.
Common topics:
Basics of copyright law: "copyrightability;" rights and responsibilities; who owns what
Project or research planning: what can be copied; what can be shared?
Educational and classroom use questions: fair use and additional useful tools
Publishing: negotiating author rights; permissions; fair use in published works
Alternative models in publishing: open access; open educational resources
Alternative options for promoting and protecting content: Creative Commons and open source licensing