Columbia University Libraries and LYRASIS, a global non-profit membership organization providing technology and content solutions for libraries, museums, archives, and research communities, will offer online classes on copyright through the Virtual Copyright Education Center (VCEC) pilot project. The project will introduce new classes to enable cultural heritage professionals to move beyond a basic understanding of copyright. The project also includes business planning to develop a sustainable service model to enable continued training.

Upcoming classes include:

Copyright 101

2/24/2021, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST (FREE)

Led by Heather Briston, Head of Curators and Collections, UCLA Library, and Melissa Smith Levine, Director, Copyright Office, University of Michigan Library

This 90-minute introductory course will provide an overview of the origin and purpose of U.S. copyright law and how it promotes creativity, teaching, learning, and research in ways that have become an integral part of everyday life. This session will introduce copyright concepts most relevant to those working in libraries, archives, museums, and community cultural heritage organizations.

This course is recommended as a foundation for other copyright classes offered through LYRASIS and Columbia University Libraries through the Virtual Copyright Education Center.

No Fear Fair Use: Practical Fair Use for Cultural Institutions

3/10/21, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST 

Led by Sandra Aya Enimil, Copyright Librarian and Contracting Specialist, Yale University Library, and Kyle K. Courtney, Copyright Advisor, Harvard University

Copyright Limitations and Exceptions

3/24/2021, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST

Led by Lisa Macklin, Associate Dean, Research, Engagement, and Scholarly Communications, Emory University Libraries, and Anne M. Young, Director of Legal Affairs and Intellectual Property, Newfields

Copyright in Action

4/27/2021, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST

Led by Cherie Chen, Senior Registrar for Rights and Reproductions, J. Paul Getty Museum, and Rina Elster Pantalony, Director of Copyright Advisory Services, Columbia University

Register for each class individually via the links above or subscribe to LYRASIS Learning for access to all live, online classes and the full LYRASIS Learning Library. Additional classes will be scheduled between now and June, which will be listed on the LYRASIS class schedule.