Choosing a Rights Statement

UPLINK uses standard rights statements to help patrons quickly ascertain how they can use your materials. Below is a quick summary of the most common rights statements used for UPLINK collections and what they mean to help you decide which fits your collection or item. UPLINK staff can also assist you in choosing the appropriate rights statement. A more detailed summary of all possible rights statements and links to the full legal text for each statement can be found on the Rights Statements website.

For more information about determining copyright status, see our Privacy and Copyright guide.

Common Rights Statements:

• No Copyright - United States: Use this option if the item is in the public domain or was never copyrightable.
• In Copyright: Use this option if the item is under copyright and the copyright holder wishes to require all users to request permission to use the item beyond fair use. 
• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted: Use this option if the item is under copyright but the copyright holder is okay with educators using the item in the classroom without obtaining permission from the copyright holder. Patrons wishing to use the item for non-educational purposes would still be required to seek the formal permission of the copyright holder.
• In Copyright - Non-commercial Use Permitted: Use this option if the item is under copyright but the copyright holder is okay with people using the item for any non-commercial purpose (educational, artistic, scholarly, etc.). Anyone seeking to use the item to make money would still be required to seek the formal permission of the copyright holder.
• In Copyright - Rights-holder(s) Unlocatable or Unidentifiable: Use this option if you made a diligent, good faith search for the copyright holder but could not find them.

Less Common Rights Statements:

• No Copyright - Contractual Restrictions: Use this option if the item is in the public domain or was never copyrightable but a donor agreement or other legal contract restricts the use of the item.
• Copyright Undetermined: Use this option if you could not determine whether the item is under copyright (ex: the item is undated and it is unclear if it is in the public domain).
• No Known Copyright: Use this option if you could not determine conclusively whether the item is under copyright but you are relatively certain that it is in the public domain (ex: the item is undated but you are almost certain it dates to before 1928).