Important copyright considerations:
- When performing a story via telephone, US copyright law recognizes two copyrights: one for the underlying story itself, and one for the recorded audio performance.
- Using a story from our Storytime Commons? We've ensured that all stories and audio in the Storytime Commons are either under LibraryCall copyright, in the public domain, or legally licensed to us by the copyright holder.
- Libraries and schools have a long history of relying on the Fair Use doctrine to share readings or recordings from copyrighted books for noncommercial, educational purposes—such as storytimes and dial-a-story services. Each organization determines its own approach to Fair Use, so we encourage you to follow your institution's guidance when recording stories.
- For more information, please consult the American Library Association's guide to fair use and copyright issues.