Can I show copyrighted images to a class?

January 13, 2007 12:33 PM

Am I breaking copyright by showing digital images of sections of a book to a class?

I live in Canada and cannot make sense of the concept of "fair dealing" with regards to this.

I will be giving an art related lecture to a large group of students and want to show images from a copyrighted work (a graphic novel). I own the book and will also be bringing it with me. I would include copyright information on the digital images and would be showing perhaps four pages of a 260 page work.

posted by Cuke to law & government (7 comments total)

Via Wikipedia:

The AUCC believes that faculty members or students can make a copy of parts of a book or other complete works under fair dealing. The AUCC also maintains that fair dealing applies not just to photocopying but also to other methods of reproduction – including the making of copies onto slides, microfiche or transparencies.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:42 PM on January 13, 2007

As far as I know--and IANAL--for educational purposes it's okay. Also, most schools are permitted a certain amount of copying for study materials (I was told this by a librarian at UofT years ago). Someone in your school administration would know.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:50 PM on January 13, 2007

I'm not a lawyer or a Canadian, but you'll be fine.
posted by BackwardsCity at 1:31 PM on January 13, 2007

In order to offend copyright law for artistic works in most common law countries, you need to make copies or reproductions. This is not true for other types of works (e.g. musical). So you are safe - you do not even have to resort to a fair use defence. However the act of making copies of artistic works for students has failed fair use or fair dealing tests in some common law countries - although the student is allowed to make his or her own copy.
posted by zaebiz at 2:38 PM on January 13, 2007

Oh and if you intend making a copy of each work to display them on an overhead projector or similar device, I believe there is a specific exception for OHP reproduction for educational purposes in the Canadian copyright act. So that might be your safest solution.
posted by zaebiz at 3:09 PM on January 13, 2007

Cuke, is your institution licenced by Access Copyright?

If so, then you can copy up to 10% of the work.

If you're not sure, you're still covered:

"What material can be copied under the Copyright Act? Exceptions under the Copyright Act permit certain things to be done by educational institutions that would infringe copyright if there were no exceptions. Teachers can: (...)
- copy a work protected by copyright for the purpose of overhead projection using a device such as an LCD, overhead, opaque, or slide projector, provided the work is used for the purpose of education and training and is not already available in a commercial format (...)" - "Copyright Matters!".
posted by loiseau at 8:04 PM on January 13, 2007

Thank you all. Loiseau, that booklet has exactly the kind of information I was looking for.
posted by Cuke at 1:43 PM on January 14, 2007