Copyright is a right that is bestowed upon an original work such as a book, photo, song, computer software, etc. It is both an ethical type of right where the author must be credited when their work is used, and the other right is commercial which ensures the author the right to sell, copy, and distribute their work with the aim of economic profit.
When are you allowed to use works without permission?
In some cases, you are allowed to use and share copyright protected works without asking for permission first. You can, to a reasonable extent, cite books, articles, and such. Roskilde University has an agreement with Copydan which manages the copyrights of a large number of authors. This agreement means you can, to some extent, use printed materials and pictures for teaching, projects and assignments that are linked to RUC.
The library’s e-resources and copyright
The library’s electronic materials (such as e-books, databases, and electronic articles) are not included in the Copydan agreement. These have other negotiated license agreements which describe exactly how they are allowed to be used. You can, however, always legally deep link these materials and share them with others in this manner.
You can use a quote from a work without asking the author permission first if the rules above are met.