Colleges and universities often ask for advice on how to use copyrighted audio and visual material lawfully. Fritz Dolak, manager of the Copyright Center at Ball State University and noted copyright speaker, offers these helpful tips:

1. Check the content. Use a legal copy of an audio/visual (AV) program for face-to-face teaching. The AV content must be used to meet instructional objectives and/or learning outcomes.

2. Manage portion size. When using AV content in distance education, use “reasonable and limited portions” of that material in accordance with the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act. Restrict access to the class on a secure server via username and password.

3. Refer to CONFU Multimedia Guidelines. Use the Conference on Fair Use Multimedia Guidelines for classroom enhancement materials. Restrict access to just your class on a secure server via username and password. These Guidelines are not part of copyright law but do allow the use of limited amounts of copyrighted materials.

4. Secure licensing for public use. Obtain licensing when using AV material for public performances.

5. Refrain from copying. Do not make copies of any AV program for distribution or a performance unless the program is in the public domain or you’ve obtained a license or permission to make copies.

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