LibGuides: Library for Educators: Copyright

Copyright

Below are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding copyright.

For more comprehensive information, see the Copyright for Education Use page on the TAFE SA Intranet, prepared by Teaching & Learning.

Can I ...

Copy a whole book?	No - unless it is already owned by TAFE SA or you have the written permission of the copyright owner. You can copy a "reasonable portion" (approximately 10% or one chapter). You can upload that 10% or one chapter into Learn. Make sure that you credit your source. You can copy a larger portion, or possibly the whole book, if it is no longer available to purchase or would be difficult to obtain in time.
Copy a video or sound recording to a different format (e.g. tape to disc)?	Yes, but only if The original copy was a bought, non-pirated copy The copy is being made for the purpose of educational instruction It is not possible to buy the material in the new format within a reasonable time You don't use the format shifted copy in a way that would unreasonably prejudice the copyright owner (such as putting it on the Internet or giving students access to an electronic file that they could copy) You don't remove or disable copy protection to make the format shifted copy
Download a video from the web and burn to disc or upload to Moodle?	No. This constitutes copying and distributing the work. Instead of this, supply a hyperlink to the video in your Moodle or to your students. Note that it's often permissible to embed videos from YouTube, ClickView etc. and these sites will often provide the actual html code for you to do this. This is allowed because what you are "embedding" is actually just a link to the video, not a copy of it. Before you embed a video, check the permissions - YouTube videos will have a licence statement which you can see by clicking the More link under each video. For ClickView videos, see here.
Copy text or other material from a website?	Yes. The Copyright Act doesn't specify how much of a website a teacher is allowed to copy or communicate - theoretically, you could copy the entire content of a site as long as this “does not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests” of the copyright owner (i.e. if the site is freely accessible and the owner is not asking for payment, they won’t be impacted commercially by you using the material). Following the "10% or one chapter" guideline is still a good rule of thumb. Ensure the website is itself legitimate and that the site itself hasn’t broken copyright by copying the content from somewhere else! It's still good practice to ask the owner's permission and give attribution.
What about images? Can I copy images I find online and use those in Learn or other printed or digital resources I create?	As with other online content - just because images may be easily accessed online, that doesn't mean they can be used legally or for free. TAFE SA pays significant licencing costs to use such material, which you can help reduce. Some tips: Where possible, use Creative Commons (CC) licensed images. These are free and have been shared with the express intention of being copied, modified and reused. There are many sources for CC images, a few can be found here. TAFE SA staff are able to use images from the Shutterstock image library, which can be requested from library staff, as TAFE SA has a licence to use this material. See this page for more information. Avoid using images from stock image libraries such as Pinterest, social media sites and other sources where the original ownership of the images cannot be easily established. If using images from non-CC sources, seek permission from the copyright owner, and keep a record of this permission. (If you can't establish the ownership, then it's probably wiser to avoid using this material.) Always ATTRIBUTE YOUR SOURCES. We insist students reference their work correctly, so it's modelling good practice for them. Correct attribution can vary a little according to circumstances (see this Teaching & Learning fact sheet for details), but as a general rule you can follow the TASL (Title, Author, Source, Licence) model for attribution - e.g. Limits of Growth by allispossible.co.uk is licensed under a CC BY available under CC BY-SA 2.0 Licence For help, consult the Copyright for Educational Use page on the intranet or ask your librarian.
Record a TV or radio program and burn it to disc, or upload it to Learn?	No. TAFE SA does not have the required licence (Screenrights licence) that allows educational institutions to do this. This applies to the Library as well, so don't ask us! Using videos on iView, SBS On Demand and other "catchup" sites in class is generally allowed because these are publicly available - but be aware that programs are usually only available on these sites for a limited period. To obtain "permanent" copies of programs, you need to purchase them.
Play films/videos in class?	Yes, provided it is: in the course of education and is not for profit; and the people in the audience or class are giving or receiving instruction and/or are directly connected with the place where instruction is given. This includes playing films for virtual classes and distance education students. This applies to Videos or DVDs Live free to air and pay television Streaming services (e.g. Netflix, Stan, Prime Video)• the internet (YouTube, Vimeo) Content from online providers such as iTunes, Google Play, ClickView etc. Catch up or on demand television (e.g. ABC iView, SBS on Demand, 7plus, FoxNow)
Make a copy of a computer program and share it with students? (e.g. give them a copy, put it on Learn for them to download etc.)	No – unless TAFE SA is the copyright owner, or You have written permission from the copyright owner, or The software is no longer commercially available (and copying it would thus not impact any possible sales for the copyright owner) You can however make a “back-up” copy of purchased software.
Play music from a streaming service (e.g. Spotify, Apple Music et al) or videos for entertainment during breaks in class?	No. The Copyright Act only allows you to do this for teaching purposes. Schools have licences that specifically allow them to do this, but TAFE SA currently does not.