(Photo Source: Wikimedia user Lidiasaiz, CC-BY-SA)

Most Open Educational Resources are made open through the use of Creative Commons licenses. Using a CC license enables creators to designate what others are (or are not) allowed to do with their work. This is a departure from traditional copyright, where all rights to use the work are held by the creator and can only be reused or modified with their permission. 

Creative Commons licenses are like movie ratings. The most “open” license, CC-BY, only requires you to give attribution to the original creator. You are free to reuse and remix the material as you see fit, even for commercial purposes. It’s like the “G” rating of CC licenses. On the other end of the spectrum, OERs with the CC-BY-NC-ND license can only be reused in their original format. This license is akin to the MPAA’s “R” rating since it’s the most restrictive. 

Learn more about the different Creative Commons licenses and permissions in the table below. If you’re unsure of what you are or are not allowed to do with a CC-licensed work – or if you’re unsure whether your work has a license – reach out to a VSC Librarian. We’re happy to help translate! 

Bonus: Can you spot the Creative Commons license on the VSC Libraries page? If you want to reuse material on this page, what are you allowed to do? 

(Photo credit: Wikimedia user JoKalliauer, CC-BY-SA)