Even though some of the Library’s licensed resources and websites allow use of materials and media (i.e., images, video, audio) for educational and non-commercial purposes, it is your responsibility to read and follow the usage and copyright policies of a media resource. Be aware that use of electronic resources is governed by institutional license agreements, and publishers monitor use for potential abuse, especially at the institutional level.

Materials and media include – but are not limited to – images, charts, tables, survey instruments, videos, audio, etc. Before using materials or media in your lecture, manuscript, presentation, etc., look for usage and copyright policies under “About Us”, “Frequently Asked Questions”, “Terms and Conditions”, “Terms of Use”, “Copyright”, or “Contact Us” on the media resource’s website.

The usage and copyright policies may:

• Require you to include an acknowledgement or attribution
• Provide the specific wording for the acknowledgement or attribution
• Provide required citation format
• Require you to submit a permission request form
• Require a fee to use media based on the permission request form

The Copyright Flowchart was developed to assist you understand proper usage based on the media form and source (i.e., UT Southwestern licensed resource, public domain, author generated, etc.).

Requesting permissions can be time consuming. It is recommended to plan accordingly and incorporate 4-8 weeks for response times.

To assist you in using licensed resources responsibly and navigating the copyright and permissions labyrinth, the Library has the following resources:

• Copyright – includes background, answers to basic questions, and links to UT System Policy and resources.
• Using Media – provides information on how to access and use media responsibly, request permissions, and cite and attribute.

Questions? Please send them to LibAsk@utsouthwestern.edu.