Copyright and Intellectual Property at Purdue

Copyright protects a wide variety of creative works which include books, movies, music, web sites and computer programs just to name a few. It strives to strike a balance between allowing the creator of the copyrighted work to enjoy exclusive rights to their work while allowing others to use the work.The U.S. Copyright Law dictates the specifics of what rights copyright owners have with what exceptions, such as fair use, that can be applied so the public can use the work without seeking permission from the copyright holder. Copyright at Purdue is divided into two areas. The first is the use of copyrighted works and the second is the ownership of works created at Purdue. [Executive Memorandum B-53] outlines how copyrighted works can be used at Purdue. Purdue’s Intellectual Property Policy specifies the rights of the University in copyrighted works and patentable works created at the University.

Resources at Purdue

University Copyright Office – The UCO provides information on the use of copyrighted works.

Office of the VP for Research – Responsible for interpreting Purdue Intellectual Property policy VIII.4.1 which defines copyright ownership of works created at Purdue.

Office of Technology Commercialization – Provides permission to use copyrighted works owned by Purdue; responsible for patents developed at Purdue. Potential patentable material is assigned to a specific subject specialist for review.

Office of Trademarks and Licensing – Provides information on the use of Purdue’s trademarks.