Copyright Essentials from A to AI: A 2026 NISO Training Series

NISO Member rate: $850; Non-Member rate: $925

Explore copyright, fair use, licensing, AI, and author rights through practical discussions for library and academic professionals.

This training series is designed for anyone interested in where copyright law intersects with library and academic spaces and the tensions that shape those interactions. Each session pairs conceptual understanding with discussions of how power and market dynamics shape outcomes in practice.

The series opens with the foundations of the US copyright system and the critical framework that runs throughout the course — asking, for each topic, what is being protected, who benefits, who is excluded, and what assumptions the system makes. From there, sessions move through fair use and the public domain, statutory exceptions for libraries, and a structured mid-point session that uses cases from music, sports, and popular culture as a laboratory for applying that framework in small group discussion. With participants having put the analytical framework into practice, the second half of the series turns to the more complex institutional terrain of licensing and market power, open movements and author rights, and the unresolved questions surrounding copyright and AI.

The sessions will hold space for productive tension, collaborative discussion, and reflection on how we might navigate contradictory roles with integrity. The series concludes with a capstone session where participants will be able to work on designing or refining programs and practices for their own organizations which involve copyright concerns.

Course Duration and Dates

The series consists of eight (8) weekly segments, each lasting 90 minutes. Specific dates are:

• October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• November 5, 12, 19 (Note: Daylight savings will affect sessions after November 1)

Each session will be recorded and links to that archived recording will be disseminated to course registrants within 2 business days of the close of the specific session.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The time zone is in Eastern Time (US & Canada).

Please note that it is not possible to register for individual program segments or lectures. Additionally, please register using an institutional/work email.

Register here.