A Short Course in Copyright for NWACC Faculty

Canvas is not a copyright-free zone. Even though it’s password-protected, uploading copyrighted material to Canvas still counts as a public distribution under U.S. copyright law.

💡 Tip: Treat Canvas the same way you would a public website when deciding what to upload or link.

Faculty often use Canvas to share learning materials and most uses fall under fair use, licensing, or exemptions. These are generally allowed:

✅ Link to licensed library content (articles, ebooks, streaming videos)

✅ Link to publicly available websites or videos

✅ Upload original instructional content (slides, notes, tests, etc.)

✅ Use openly licensed content (e.g., Creative Commons)

✅ Apply the fair use test to excerpt small portions of copyrighted works

💡 Tip: Linking is always safer than uploading. When in doubt, share a link!

Persistent links, or permalinks, to content in library databases are always copyright compliant.

Library vendors provide stable links to articles, videos, ebooks, and other content. These links ensure students can access materials after logging in with their NWACC credentials.

💡 Tip: Linking to licensed content respects copyright and is preferred over uploading copies.

We can also license streaming media in partnership with Digital Learning. Contact us early if you’d like to explore this option.

Some common practices fall into gray areas or may expose the College to risk under copyright law and the DMCA. Use caution with:

❌ Scanned chapters or articles uploaded as PDFs

❌ Full-length copyrighted videos or music files

❌ Print-to-PDF copies of subscription content

❌ Repeated use of the same material semester after semester

❌ Uploaded materials from another instructor without review

💡 Tip: Just because content is “for education” doesn’t automatically make it fair use.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) protects institutions like NWACC from liability only if we meet certain conditions, including honoring takedown requests. That means:

• The College does not monitor Canvas for copyright compliance.
• Copyright holders may issue takedown notices for materials in Canvas, even behind logins.
• NWACC must respond if we receive a valid notice.

💡 Tip: Sharing content responsibly protects you, your students, and the College.

The TEACH Act allows instructors to transmit certain copyrighted content in online learning environments—but only under very specific conditions.

To qualify, the use must:

• Be part of mediated instructional activity
• Be integral to the course content
• Be limited to enrolled students
• Use only small portions of works (or entire works only if not commercially available)
• Include copyright notices and technical protections

💡 Tip: The TEACH Act is useful, but limited. It’s not a blanket exemption.

Not sure what you can post in Canvas? The Library can help you:

• Review fair use or TEACH Act eligibility
• Choose safe alternatives
• Find or request permissions
• Replace risky uploads with legal links