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Creative Commons Licenses

Information about using a Creative Commons License

Creative Commons (CC) License Basics

CC Licenses are a set of free, public licenses that allow creators to keep their copyrights while sharing their works on more flexible terms than traditional "all rights reserved."

CC Licenses have three layers: 

CC licenses have three layers: Legal Code, Human Readable, Machine Readable

 

 

  • The Legal Code contains the terms and conditions that are legally enforceable in court.
  • The Human Readable or "Commons Dead" lay out the key license terms in easy to understand language.
  • The Machine Readable layer summerizes the license terms in a way that technology such as search engines and website can understand.

 

 

 

 

CC Licenses are made up of four elements:
CC BY ElementBY - All CC licenses include the Attribution or "BY" element.

CC NonCommercial element logoNC - NonCommercial or "NC" means that work can only be used for noncommercial purposes. 

CC's definition of NC is dependent on its use, use of a work by a non-profit or charity does not mean it is automatically noncommercial. If a non-profit uses a NC work for a profit, it is considered a commercial use. At the same time a for-profit company can use a NC work for non-commercial purposes. 

CC ShareAlike Element Logo

SA - ShareAlike or "SA" means that adaptations of the CC licensed work must use the same license as the original.

CC NonDerivative element logo

ND - NoDerivatives or "ND" means that adaptations of the work cannot be shared. Two CC Licenses include this restriction.

 

Creative Commons Licenses and Copyright

CC Licenses are copyright licenses. They apply when and where copyright applies. CC Licenses do not reduce, limit or restrict any rights under exceptions and limitations to copyright such as fair use, fair dealing, or provisions for people with disabilities. 

 

Sources: (Links open in a new window)

Information on this page is a derivative of "Unit 1: What is Creative Commons" and "Unit 3: Anatomy of a Creative Commons License" in Creative Commons Certificate for Educators, Academic Librarians, and GLAMby Creative Commons, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Three Layers of License (png) by Creative Commons, Nathan Yergler, and Alex Roberts, copyright 2011, is licensed under CC BY 3.0 Unported.

Six Licenses Element logos by Creative Commons and are published under CC BY 4.0.