Copyright Basics Guide

Open Access (OA) is the free, immediate availability of research, learning materials, and other scholarly work in a digital environment. Open access exists because "research leads to breakthroughs, and communicating the results of research is what allows us to turn breakthroughs into better lives—to provide new treatments for disease, to implement solutions for challenges like global warming, and to build entire industries around what were once just ideas" (SPARC).

Open Access materials benefit copyright users by providing freely available resources that can be used without many of the restrictions often associated with traditional copyright. This allows instructors, researchers, and students to access and share resources easily, fostering collaboration and innovation. Click here to view our full guide on Open Access.

Open Educational Resources (OER) are Open Access resources that are created for educational purposes by educators, students, tutors, and self-learners to use for teaching, learning, and research. These resources are freely and immediately available, and come in "in any format and medium that reside in the public domain or are under copyright that have been released under an open license, that permit no-cost access, re-use, re-purpose, adaptation and redistribution by others" (UNESCO). OER include textbooks, short readings, modules, lesson plans, artwork, videos, music, podcasts, and more.

Similar to Open Access, Open Educational Resources are created to be shared openly, and can be used without many of the restrictions often associated with traditional publishing. Click here to view our full guide on Open Educational Resources.

Open Access and Open Educational Resources often use an open license such as a Creative Commons license. Creative Commons licenses are a simple, standardized way to give others permission to share and use your work -- on conditions of the creator's choice. By using Creative Commons, the creator retains copyright of their work while allowing others to make limited uses. Click here to view our full guide on Creative Commons.