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Digital Collections Metadata: Copyright Metadata

This guide's primary function is to explain what metadata is and what metadata should be used for Fordham Libraries' Digital Collections.

Copyright Metadata Overview

Copyright metadata is a required component of your digital project. In the initial steps of brainstorming your project you should also be researching and/or obtaining the license status of each item or resource you intend to include. Below you can find some guidelines to figuring out which copyright statement is the right fit for your item(s).   

If a claim is made that an item or any of its contents are in copyright, we will abide by the Takedown Policy and remove the item.

Please note: If you have gained permission for content you wish to upload to CONTENTdm, email the permission agreement to abeazer@fordham.edu and cc digitalcollections@fordham.edu. It will be kept on file for any future copyright claims or questions.

General Copyright Statements/Metadata

Public Domain Statement:
When the items in the collection are in the public domain or if YOU hold the rights and you wish to put them in the public domain use the following statement and URL.

  • This work has been identified as in the public domain under applicable international copyright laws. It is therefore being made available for use under the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

No Known Copyright:

When you have thoroughly researched the copyright of the materials and have found no proof of copyright per the laws in place in your country and the country of publication. Keep a record of your research and submit it to the Metadata Management Librarian.

In Copyright, Educational Use Permitted:
If the copyright of the materials is held by Fordham, but educational use of these materials is allowed by the University.

In Copyright, Fordham University Use Only:

If the copyright is held by the university and no educational use is permitted. This required students, faculty and administrators to visit campus to view the digital collection or to view via a proxy server with their Fordham login details.

In Copyright, Published with Permission of Rights Holder:
If you have received permissions to scan and make an item available online please send the contract to the Metadata Management Librarian so they can keep a record of this. Please use the following statement along with the URI to the license they have agreed to. Also include the official name of the rights holder in a metadata field titled 'Rights Holder' in your spreadsheet.

Specific Copyright Statements/Metadata

Fordham Copyright Statement:
When the rights holder for items in a collection is Fordham University use the following statement and URL.

Fordham Video Copyright Statement:
When the rights holder is Fordham University and the item is a video recording, use the following statement and URL.

Fordham Libraries Items Copyright Statement:
When the items are from and owned by the Fordham Libraries and you do not want commercial use of your objects but allow educational, use the following statement and URL.

  • The images, text and/or video provided is copyrighted by Fordham University Libraries. Any reproduction of the contents for commercial gain without written permission from Fordham University Libraries is strictly prohibited. Educational use of this content is permitted. http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/?language=en

Archival Materials from Fordham Statement:
When items are owned by the Fordham Archives and Special Collections and NO publication is permitted without permission of the Fordham Archivist use this statement. 

  • This image is owned by Fordham University Archives and Special Collections. Publication in any form is not permitted without the permission of the Fordham University Archivist.

Creative Commons Licenses