Copyright and Fair Use

Fair Use

"Fair use is a copyright principle based on the belief that the public is entitled to freely use portions of copyrighted materials for purposes of commentary and criticism." (Stanford University Libraries) 

Copyright Guidelines

These guidelines for use in teaching apply to resources the Library doesn't own or subscribe to, including resources acquired via interlibrary loan:

• No more than two articles from a single journal issue

• No more than three articles from a single journal title in a five year span

• No more than two chapters from a book or 15/% of the total book, whichever is less

FAQ

North Carolina State University has prepared for faculty a list of questions and answers on copyright in the classroom and online. Here are some you may find particularly relevant:

1. What can I show (display or perform) in class? What is the difference between "displaying" and "performing"?

2. I own several films and would like to show clips from each of them in my class. May I? If so, I would like to copy the clips onto a single dvd for ease of presentation. May I? 

3. Can I show a movie in class that I rented from Blockbuster? 

4. What kinds of works can I incorporate into a powerpoint presentation? Charts, photos, graphics, cartoons, sounds? 

Resources

These resources are recommended for general information pertaining to copyright and fair use. Specific questions about copyright compliance and fair use should be addressed to Library Director Hai-Thom Sota. 

• Center for Media & Social Impact's Fair Use Guides

• UC Copyright Education Web Site: University of California’s guide to copyright in an academic setting

• Copyright Clearance Center: Nonprofit provider of services in obtaining copyright permissions and news on copyright issues

• Stanford Copyright & Fair Use Center: Stanford’s searchable directory of copyright information. Includes sample guidelines and policies of colleges, universities, and other organizations

• Copyright Crash Course Online Tutorial: University of Texas at Austin’s copyright tutorial

• Bloggers Beware: Debunking Nine Copyright Myths of the Online World: A summary of myths about copyright and fair use

• Five famous copyright infringement cases (and what you can learn): Portal documenting real life copyright issues in various media

• Creative Commons: Nonprofit corporation dedicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright

Video Introductions to Copyright

• Copyright Basics 

• Get Creative