Skip to Main Content
Changes to our website are underway this fall. We are here to help you with any questions.

Copyright: Creative Commons

Learn what copyright is, why it is important, and how to use information legally.

CC logo

Creative Commons Logo

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons in the public domain. 

An Alternative to Copyright

Creative Commons is an alternative to Copyright that uses licensing in place of copyright to allow owners of intellectual property to allow specific uses of their work. By offering a way to share content while protecting ownership, Creative Commons promotes creativity and sharing.

Content Creators

The Creative Commons (CC) website offers a simple form for establishing a license for the work, allowing others to use the content in ways specified by the owner.

Content Users

CC licensed work may be more accessable to content users. CC Search offers a search option for finding content that can be used within the more flexible limitations of CC. The photo below was used according to a CC license.

Citing Sources

Use the Open Attribution Builder to cite open and public domain sources.