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Copyright, Licenses

On the following pages you will find all our information on copyrights and licenses:

Works created by people, such as texts, images, audio and video material, or computer programs, are protected by copyright in Switzerland. This means that authors have the right to decide whether others may use their works and, if so, under what conditions. They may transfer rights of use to their works, in whole or in part, to third parties (e.g., publishers).
The following markings are commonly used for the use and distribution of copyright-protected materials:

  • Creative Commons license (CC): These licenses allow for the freest possible use, distribution, and, in some cases, modification of works—under clearly defined conditions. One of these conditions is that the authors must always be credited; additional restrictions (e.g., no commercial use) may apply.
  • All rights reserved (in German): Under Swiss copyright law, intellectual works are protected from the moment they are created—even without any specific notice. The phrase “all rights reserved” merely indicates that no additional rights of use are granted. Use is therefore permitted only in a few cases authorized by law (e.g., as a quotation, in educational settings, or for private use). Any other use requires the consent of the copyright holder.
  • „Public domain“ (in German)/CC0:. Works are in the public domain when copyright protection has expired—for example, after the term of protection has ended. They may be freely used, modified, and redistributed without permission. CC0 is comparable to this. It is a legal instrument through which rights holders largely waive their rights.

In line with the principles of „Open Science„ ZHB Lucerne is committed to ensuring the widest possible access to knowledge. This includes data, publications, and teaching and learning materials. We encourage the use and sharing of content—always within the bounds of the law.