Introduction
The University of British Columbia and its faculty, staff and students are creators of various forms of intellectual property, as well as consumers of intellectual property. As creators, we rely on the protections offered by intellectual property laws to ensure that our work product is protected from improper use. As consumers of intellectual property, we are legally (and morally) obligated to respect the intellectual property rights of others, just as we expect others to respect our intellectual property rights.
One intellectual property right that is very important to UBC faculty, staff and students is copyright.
Infringing copyright is a serious matter and UBC requires each of its faculty, staff and students to comply with copyright law. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, and because UBC may be liable for the conduct of its faculty and staff, a small number of faculty or staff who fail to comply with copyright law may result in UBC being liable for significant copyright fees and damages. Faculty, staff and students may also be personally liable for copyright infringement, and be responsible for payment of such fees and damages. This site provides a basic summary of copyright law, and sets out UBC’s policy regarding copyright in a way that is intended to provide guidance and assistance to help you understand what you can and cannot do with copyrighted works. If, after reviewing these guidelines, you have any questions or concerns about your obligations under copyright law or these guidelines, or wish to receive additional guidance, please refer to the Copyright FAQ or contact ubc-copyright@interchange.ubc.ca.
Your Copyright Obligations
Copyright is the sole and exclusive right of a copyright owner to produce, reproduce, perform, publish, adapt, translate and telecommunicate a work, and to control the circumstances in which others may do any of these things. Copyright owners grant permission to others through what are legally referred to as licences. Copyright law in Canada protects a wide range of works. If you wish to reproduce a substantial part of a copyrighted work, you may only copy the work if the Copyright Act specifically allows you to do so, or if you have express permission from the copyright owner. The Copyright Act provides these exceptions for users, like universities and persons acting under the authority of a university. These exceptions provide a balance between providing copyright owners with legal rights to control use of their works, and allowing users access in specific circumstances that are in the public interest.
For more information, please visit the frequently asked questions about copyright basics page. The copyright guidelines flowchart can help you determine the steps you need to take to make sure you are complying with copyright laws.
