Getty Images
Q: "Can I use pictures from Getty Images in my video presentations? I found some in a Google Images search and it looks like I can easily download them."
A: To legally use Getty Images content, you must pay for it. Getty Images content (or content from other stock image sites such as iStock and Shutterstock) is available under a royalty-free license, but this doesn’t mean that it is free to use. It means that you must pay a one-time fee to use an image multiple times without paying further royalties.
Since images owned by Getty are all over the Internet, we’re often asked “How will they even know if I use the images?” This story is from a Nova Scotia Health team member:
“I am the webmaster for my child’s sports team. Our team received an email from Getty Images letting us know that some of our coaches had illegally used some Getty images in electronic newsletters. They also sent an invoice for $1800 US! We had no idea that using pictures readily available from a Google search could have such expensive consequences.”
Nova Scotia Health team members must pay to use Getty Images content and other royalty-free content. You can also look for free-to-use alternatives. Visit the Using Images & Understanding Permissions page of our Copyright subject guide for suggestions.
Creative Commons
Q: “I found a clinical tool that I would like to adapt and rebrand for use at Nova Scotia Health. It is available under a Creative Commons license, so does that mean I am free to use it however I want? The license is CC BY-NC-ND.”
A: A resource that is licensed through Creative Commons is not free to use in any way you like. You must understand and comply with the terms of the license.
Let’s look at what the CC BY-NC-ND license means:
- BY means that attribution is required. You must give credit to the creator of the material AND link to the appropriate license. You can find more information about how to appropriately cite Creative Commons resources on the Creative Commons page of our Copyright subject guide.
- NC means non-commercial. You cannot use this material for commercial purposes.
- ND means no derivatives. This means that you are not permitted to “remix, transform or build upon the material” (Creative Commons, n.d.), so you cannot freely adapt and rebrand this clinical tool. Your options are:
- Use the material as is, without adaptations.
- Look for an alternative.
- Contact the copyright owner for permission to adapt the resource, with the understanding that the answer may be ‘No’. Library Services can help you ask for permission.
We’ll share more copyright Q&A in future blog posts. In the meantime, reach out to copyright@nshealth.ca with your copyright questions or book a one-on-one consultation.
To learn more, sign up for one of our regular education sessions or request a custom copyright education session for your team. We’re always here to help!
References
1. Creative Commons. (n.d.). Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Lana MacEachern
Library Technician
Aberdeen Hospital, Northern Zone
Roxanne MacMillan
Librarian Educator
Central Zone
Related posts
- Copyright Corner: Need copyright permission? Library Services can help!
- Copyright Corner: Attribution
- Copyright Corner: Citation - "If you didn't write it, you must cite it"
- Copyright Corner: What is public domain?
- Copyright Corner: Understanding Creative Commons Licenses
- Copyright Corner: Our new infographic for using images at work
UPDATED: February 27, 2023. Original Post: June 18, 2018
Using Google to search for articles might seem quick and easy—until you hit a paywall. Rather than pay for access to an article, Nova Scotia Health staff can use Library Services’ subscriptions and Document Delivery services to access the information they need. Check out four ways to access journal articles through Library Services below and skip the paywalls!
Search in Discover (TDNet)
Discover searches multiple databases and health sciences resources at once—not just content that Nova Scotia Health subscribes to or has in print. You can search Discover for articles, journals, book chapters, and more.
To begin, navigate to the Library’s homepage and select the Discover tab. In the search box, enter the title of the article you are looking for or keywords that focus on your topic. Then click Search.
On your search results page, you can revise your search keywords, if needed, or narrow your search by applying the filters found on the left side. An icon under each search result will display information about full-text access:
NOTE The View full text icon also displays when Library Services owns a print version of an item.
NOTE If you only want to see search results that allow immediate full-text access, click Get it at Nova Scotia Health at the top of the list of search filters on the left side of your search results screen.
Use Library Services’ PubMed® or Google Scholar Access Point
Accessing PubMed® or Google Scholar from Library Services’ Databases A-Z list will show which search results provide full-text access through Nova Scotia Health. There are two ways to access the A-Z list from our homepage:
OR
Click on the name of the database you want to search, then enter your keywords in the search box.
If you are searching in PubMed®, click on a title from your results page. This will take you to the article’s record page, example below. On the right side of the screen, there will be full-text links, if available (4).
If you are searching in Google Scholar, look for full-text access information on the right side of your search results page (5).
Full-text in other databases
Some databases, like APA PsycINFO, allow searchers to filter results by full-text access. Like your Discover search results, your search results in other databases will have icons and words that describe your access:
To limit your search results to items with immediate full-text access, click Linked Full Text or Open Access from the filters on the left side of the search results page.
Request Full-text through Document Delivery
While each item record in Discover contains a Document Delivery form, you can simply use a blank Document Delivery form on the Library’s website: https://library.nshealth.ca/Document-Delivery. Include as much detail as possible and click Send. Library staff will contact you if there are any fees associated with your request.
For more information on any of Library Services’ resources, please reach out to AskLibrary@nshealth.ca.
Laura Mounce
Librarian Educator
Halifax Infirmary, Central Zone
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