Creative Commons Licensing Tips for Special Librarians

This summer, I’m taking the Creative Commons Certificate for Educators course. While I enrolled to earn the certificate—and have found a lot of value in the assignments—the course content is publicly available. I know I’ll return to it often as I use Creative Commons in more of my work.  

It’s worth noting that courses for the Creative Commons Certificate for Academic Librarians and Open Culture are also available.  

The Role of Creative Commons in My Work as a Special Librarian 

I’ve often used Creative Commons (CC) licensing for articles I’ve published, and I’m interested in expanding my use of the licenses to include courseware. I create a lot of videos and other types of resources for classes, and my goal is to license content so students can more easily adapt and build upon it.  

I think there’s a great deal of value in exploring how Creative Commons licenses can be used in your own context, especially within special libraries, where sharing, collaboration, and access to knowledge are cornerstones of our work.  

What is Creative Commons?

You may be familiar with Creative Commons, but here is a definition from Unit 1 of the course:  

“Creative Commons is a set of legal tools and a nonprofit organization, as well as a global network and a movement—all inspired by people’s willingness to share their creativity and knowledge, and enabled by a set of open copyright licenses.”  

Creative Commons licenses build on existing copyright law, giving creators more flexibility in how their work is used. 

How to Use Creative Commons Licenses in Your Work 

When thinking about Creative Commons licenses in your context, there are two options to consider

Option 1: License Your Own Content 

If you create original content, there are use cases where the content you’re creating is worth allowing others to use it in different ways. Whether it’s articles, teaching materials, or multimedia, you can apply a Creative Commons license to allow others to reuse it under specific conditions. 

If you’re not sure how to choose the right Creative Commons license for your work, here are a few resources to consult:   

• About CC Licenses: Read about the different types of licenses you can select.  
• License Chooser: A resource to assist you in determining which license is best for your case. 

Note that not all organizations support the use of Creative Commons licensing. Not all work can (or should) be licensed under Creative Commons—especially if it’s proprietary or your employer restricts open licensing.  

Option 2: Incorporate CC-Licensed Content 

You can also use works licensed under a Creative Commons License. Whether you are looking for an image to include in a presentation, an article or book to share with colleagues, or another type of content to build upon, using work published with a Creative Commons license is valuable.  

To locate works published with a CC license, these two resources are particularly useful:  

• List of Major Creative Commons Licensed Works 
• Flickr Creative Commons 

The Importance of Best Practices for Attribution  

In the course, I also learned about recommended practices for attribution. Having worked in higher education, I always default to APA, but an academic citation style doesn’t always work for web-based or multimedia content. I found the recommended practices for attribution beneficial for crediting creators across different formats. 

Reflecting on Lessons Learned  

Before beginning the course, I believed I was fairly knowledgeable about Creative Commons, but I’ve since learned so much more. In particular, I’ve found understanding how to choose the right license and the nuances of license enforceability especially relevant.  

I encourage you to learn more about Creative Commons for yourself. Whether you’re licensing your own materials or using others’ work, Creative Commons offers a practical way for librarians to share, collaborate, and expand access to knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need permission to use a work with a Creative Commons license?
No. As long as you follow the terms of the license, you can use the work without requesting additional permission.

Are Creative Commons licenses legally enforceable?
Yes. CC licenses are grounded in copyright law and are enforceable in many jurisdictions.

Do Creative Commons licenses expire?
No. Once a work is released under a CC license, that license lasts for the life of the copyright.

Can I apply a Creative Commons license to content I created while employed by my library?
It depends on your organization’s policies and whether they hold the copyright to your work. Always check with your employer first.