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Copyright and image resources

Copyright and image resources

Disclaimer: These guidelines represent Messiah University's best effort at articulating copyright principles.  They neither represent general legal advice nor a legal response to a specific situation.

Content on this page applies both to educators, students, artists, and scholars.

Information for Instructional Use

Information below pertains primarily to educators using images in their courses.

Use of a few copyrighted images from Google as part of an educational presentation in a face to face classroom or uploaded to a class Canvas page could be considered fair use if a small amount is used and there is minimal impact on the market for purchasing that image. However, the images should always be attributed (including links). Copyrighted images must never be used on a University website, social media, or for non-classroom use without obtaining copyright permission. 

Fortunately, there are a large number of image sources available at no cost with a Creative Commons license or in the public domain which you may use for educational or non educational purposes. Review the usage terms carefully, and ask a liason librarian if you have any questions about locating free images. 

Using a cartoon in a presentation in a classroom setting is likely covered under fair use, regardless of number of times it is used. There are a couple key caveats:
  • If the cartoon is printed out and distributed, it follows the same one-time use rules as other texts. Also this fair use applies only in the classroom—not in conference or business presentations.
  • If the cartoon is embedded in a PowerPoint that is uploaded to a Canvas course which is restricted to only the students in the class, that would be considered fair use. However, putting that PowerPoint on a publicly accessible website would not be fair use. 
The University of Minnesota Libraries offers additional information about using images in the classroom.
 
If you plan to use a cartoon on a website, at a conference, or in another context that requires permission, you must first determine the copyright holder. If you know the source of the cartoon (e.g. it was in The New Yorker or the Patriot-News, you should be able to find the copyright owner. In the case of The New Yorker and many other magazines, the publication itself may own the copyright. In the case of a newspaper, the cartoon is probably managed through a syndicate, such as Universal Uclick, where permission can be sought

The free resources page provides links to a diverse array of sources for free content that you may use without obtaining copyright permission. However, it is important to review the usage rights and attribution requirements before using any content online. If you have questions, contact your liaison librarian.

Information for students, scholars, and artists

The information below pertains to the use of images by those other than instructors.

You can find everything you need on the Messiah University's Visual Identy page.

Yes and no. It is permissable to use the logos in connection with a news or feature story about the company or the industry, like a story about the popularity of Facebook. You may not use it without permission for purely marketing purposes, such as putting the Instagram logo on your yearbook cover in hopes of selling more books.

It is best not to use copyrighted images from Google as a part of a conference presentation without obtaining copyright permission.

Fortunately, there are a large number of image sources available at no cost with a Creative Commons license or in the public domain which you may use for educational or non educational purposes. Review the usage terms carefully, and ask a liason librarian if you have any questions about locating free images. 

It is generally held that use of logos for purposes of commentary in art is legitimate. The logos are not being used for branding, and do not imply endorsement or sales, so they could fall under fair use.

However, placing that content online could limit the argument for fair use. It is best to be cautious when using corporate logos.

Additional resources:

Using a cartoon in a conference or business presentation or posting it online, even as a part of an educational PowerPoint presentation, would not qualify under fair use and requires permission. 
 
If you plan to use a cartoon on a website, at a conference, or in another context that requires permission, you must first determine the copyright holder. If you know the source of the cartoon (e.g. it was in The New Yorker or the Patriot-News, you should be able to find the copyright owner. In the case of The New Yorker and many other magazines, the publication itself may own the copyright. In the case of the newspaper, the cartoon is probably managed through a syndicate, such as Universal Uclick, where permission can be sought.

The free resources page provides links to a diverse array of sources for free content that you may use without obtaining copyright permission. However, it is important to review the usage rights and attribution requirements before using any content online. If you have questions, contact your liaison librarian.