Copyright & Permissions

Copyright protection covers published and unpublished literary, scientific and artistic works, in a fixed, tangible form, whatever the form of expression. All works used in any USNH digital communications, including images, videos, audio and written works, must have proper copyright approval and permissions.

In 2014 the USNH General Counsel's Office created a document outlining the basics of copyright laws and offering answers to frequently asked questions that commonly arise within higher education called USNH Copyright in Higher Education FAQs. In addition to this document each College or University may have their own intellectual property policies.

• University of New Hampshire policy
• Keene State College Policy
• Plymouth State University Policy

Guidelines for works created by others

Works created by others are protected by copyright. This includes:

• Written works
• Images or photographs
• Videos or video clips
• Sculptures
• Musical recordings or compositions

Always determine whether work is copyrighted, and if so you must receive permission from the copyright owner to use the work or photos of the work, including photos you create. For example, student work belongs to the student, and they must grant permission for their work to be used. If the work has a Creative Commons license, it is your responsibility to determine the specific type of license used and what it allows.

• When requesting permission for use from a copyright owner specify:  
  • The use you need (typically reproduction and possibly distribution).
  • For how long
  • What type of attribution the owner requires

Keep a copy of any granted permissions.

Guidelines for works created by you

 If you create a work, such as an image or video, you may still need a photo release from each individual who appears in it. If you answer yes to all the following questions, you need a release:  

• Is the person in the photo identifiable?
• Does he or she have a reasonable expectation of privacy (home, candid close-up, solo activity)?
• Is the image going to be used for promotional purposes (anything other than a news story) on a website, social media or other digital communication, or does the image involve sensitive topics such as politics or social issues?

In addition, parents must provide consent for photographs of children. A release is not needed for people at public events or for people in crowd scenes if the event is not related to a sensitive topic.

Support

For questions regarding copyright and permissions, please contact ET&S Software Development for support. 

Responsibility for content

USNH websites are maintained by members of the USNH community acting as official representatives of the University System of New Hampshire. Editors are responsible for obtaining permission to use any copyrighted material on their sites, and any necessary releases for any photographs they took of individuals. Editors are responsible for complying with all relevant laws, university policies, and this standard.