Use of Copyrighted Non-educated Materials

Scenarios for the WPI Campus Community

For items you wish to use for commercial or non-educational purposes, copyright permission must be obtained from the rights holder. If you have a question that is not addresses here, submit it to copyright@wpi.edu.

May I show a film (such as a video or DVD) I own, or check out of the library, at social meeting on campus?

You will need to obtain obtaining public performance rights for showing films and often even pay a royalty fee for audiences that are not a "home" or "classroom" situation. Many companies arrange for performance rights, such as Swank Motion Pictures of St. Louis (314) 289-2102. This assures that the creators of the film earn the royalties they deserve and keeps you in compliance with Copyright law. The "home" situation means you and your family are viewing at home. The "classroom" situation means that the presentation is to a class in a course, which is an educational circumstance. A presentation to friends in a classroom is just a regular public performance and needs the above public performance rights.

I am working on a consulting project and would like to use a graphic that I scanned from a book published in 1998 in my PowerPoint presentation to the sponsor or client. Do I need permission to use the image?

Yes, for anything that is not a classroom project, or for work that is redistributed or shown outside the class, permission should be obtained from the copyright owner. Track down the publisher and request permission to use the graphic.