This link has been bookmarked by 11 people . It was first bookmarked on 01 Apr 2008, by Jamie Sonneville.
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- When the image is in the public domain.
An image in the public domain has no legal owner. A work enters the public domain through a variety of ways: Either its copyright has expired, its copyright was never renewed, or the work has been dedicated to the public domain. Works whose copyright has expired are those that were published in the United States before 1923, as are those published before 1964 whose copyright was not renewed.
If you are unsure about when a work was created or published, search the records of the U.S. Copyright Office.
If you see a notice that "this work is dedicated to the public domain," that is also an indication that it is OK to republish without permission; however, Stanford University Libraries Copyright and Fair Use Overview recommends verifying that the person who has made this declaration had the authority to do so. - When it has been designated "copyright-free."
There are many online photo banks that advertise themselves as offering "copyright-free" images. While these are generally safe to take, always read the terms and conditions before you use anything. "Do not assume that clip art, shareware, freeware or materials labeled 'royalty-free' or 'copyright-free' can be distributed or copied without authorization," states Stanford University Libraries' Copyright and Fair Use Overview. In other words, just because an image is free doesn't mean you can use it freely. - When the image is openly licensed.
An openly licensed image means that the copyright holder has decided to automatically grant certain reprint permissions. The most common form of openly licensing an image is to apply a Creative Commons license. There are a variety of different Creative Commons licenses — from fairly restrictive to very permissive — so if you come across an image that is licensed this way, make sure you understand the terms before you use it. You can find a list of the six main types of Creative Commons licenses on Creative Commons' Web site.
Are there any kinds of images that are always OK to reprint?
In general, there are three instances in which you can borrow images for your Web site or printed materials without asking permission.
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Don't assume that just because an image doesn't have a copyright symbol (©) it isn't copyrighted.
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According to the U.S. Copyright Office, the use of copyright notice is no longer required under U.S. law as of March 1, 1989. This applies to both works originating in the United States as well as certain foreign works published without notice.
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Moreover, just because a copyright notice doesn't appear next to a particular image doesn't mean that the notice isn't located elsewhere on the site
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While it is always good practice to credit an author for his or her creation, this isn't a substitute for getting permission from the copyright holder to use it.
Contacting the copyright holder can also be a good way to verify authorship. It's possible that the creator (or "author") of the image you want to use was incorrectly credited. By verifying the creator's name when you get permission, you're also ensuring that he or she is properly acknowledged.
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If you have converted a copyrighted image to grayscale, sampled only a section of the image, or otherwise altered it without the author's permission, you are still violating copyright law.
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21 Feb 12
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10 May 11
soberle"To a struggling nonprofit in need of images for its Web site or printed materials, the Internet can often seem like one giant, free photo bank. With high-quality images available at the click of a mouse, it can be tempting to forgo the process of getting reprint permissions or paying exorbitant stock-photography fees — especially when you can rationalize that those downloaded images will help support a good cause.
Yet unless you get permission, use openly licensed images, or work with an image already in the public domain, you may be violating copyright law when you take pictures that aren't your own. Not only are you potentially hurting the artist's livelihood by not paying royalties, you are exposing your organization to the risk of a costly, time-consuming lawsuit.
Below, we'll show you some guidelines for determining when an image is safe to take — and when you should ask permission or look for another source.
Please note: these guidelines reflect U.S. law; for guidelines on using images in other countries, or for specific copyright questions, please consult a legal professional." -
07 May 11
ed brazeeThe technology place for nonprofits
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