About This Guide
Welcome to the Copyright Guide!
This Guide is designed to share information on copyright and related topics.
This Guide does not supply legal advice nor is it intended to replace the advice of legal counsel.
Mercyhurst Copyright Policy
In compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) enacted in 1998, Mercyhurst University hereby notifies all students that it is illegal to download, copy, use, or share copyrighted digital information files, including but not limited to music and movies, without permission. Such activities could result in criminal or Mercyhurst Student Conduct actions.
Mercyhurst University promotes and expects compliance with Copyright laws of all students, faculty, and staff. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, a photocopy or other reproduction of a copyrighted work may be made under certain conditions. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research". If a user uses a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use", that user may be liable for copyright infringement. Further information on Mercyhurst University’s policy, including penalties for infringement, may be found in the Code of Conduct for Use of Information Technology.
Mercyhurst encourages students to learn more about the provisions of the DMCA and how they apply to use of the campus network. You can check this page to help determine whether or not use of copyrighted materials falls under the “fair use” provisions. This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be construed as legal opinion.
