Copyright, Terms of Use and Policies
See the following information for federal and state laws, library policy and other guidelines that impact use of LMDigital and its content.
Copyright
Materials on this site may be protected by federal copyright law. Researchers are responsible for determining and adhering to copyright or other usage restrictions when publishing or distributing materials from the Library's collections. Any transmission or reproduction beyond what is allowed under fair use requires written permission from the copyright owner.
If specific Terms of Use are not provided in the metadata attached to content on this site, researchers must independently assess their rights under U.S. copyright law based on their intended use.
For more information, see the following links:
The Library of Michigan offers content creators and rights holders options to assert copyright or limit use or reuse of their works when placed in this repository.
If you are the copyright owner or have any information about the copyright status of an item you've seen on our website, and believe we have not properly attributed your work to you, or have used it without permission, we want to hear from you. Please use our contact form to notify us and make sure to include your contact information, a link to the relevant content, as well as a statement of the problem.
Additional resources and common copyright terms
Copyright Law of the United States (through December 2016)
U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Index (updated March 2018)
Copyright & Fair Use, Stanford University Libraries
Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright, U.S. Copyright Office
U.S. Copyright Office Circulars and Factsheets
Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
Common copyright terms defined
Copyright
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U. S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including published and unpublished literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.
Fair Use
Fair Use is a defense allowed under Title 17 that provides some latitude for use of copyrighted materials without permission.
Public Domain
A work of authorship is in the “public domain” if it is no longer under copyright protection or if it failed to meet the requirements for copyright protection. Works in the public domain may be used freely without the permission of the former copyright owner.
Creator
Another, more general, term for ‘author’. A creator can be an individual or an entity such as an organization, business or government. Under the copyright law, the creator/author of an original expression in a work is also the owner of copyright unless there is a written agreement by which the author assigns the copyright to another person or entity, such as a publisher.
Copyright clearance
Permission granted from the creator/author allowing for use of a work beyond what is allowed under copyright law. Permissions vary from allowances for a single, limited use to assigning a work to the public domain.
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that has created legally enforceable licenses that allow rights holders to grant specific uses of their creative works. The licenses provide a range of choices - from placing a work in the public domain, meaning the copyright owner gives up the copyright in the work, to allowing others to copy and use a work with attribution to the creator. The licenses are flexible and give creators control over their work(s).
Redaction
Unless specifically stated, the Library of Michigan is not responsible for the content on this site. Any sensitive or private information made available inappropriately is the sole responsibility of the original author or creator. Requests for redaction will only be considered if made by the original author or creator. If you have concerns, please contact us.