Fair Use

Fair use is a provision in Copyright law that:

• Allows some uses without permission
• Is very fact specific
• Considers both the work and the use
• Favors internal over external use
  

"[T]he fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. " 17 USC §107

The full text of the section of copyright law that addresses fair use may be found at 17 USC Section 107: Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use.