Common Uses

Exemptions
In a university setting, there are three main exemptions to the exclusive rights of copyright owners that apply come into play:

• Fair use,
• Copying by libraries,
• Copying for classroom teaching.

Background
The exemptions for copying by libraries and for making copies for use in the classroom are fairly straightforward.

The fair use exemption, on the other hand, requires much interpretation not everyone agrees on what constitutes a fair use.

The good news is that there are some guidelines to help define what many agree are reasonable fair uses of materials in certain activities that commonly take place in universities. The bad news is that the guidelines don't cover all activities and there are few guidelines for putting materials on web pages. If you use any material owned by someone else, be sure and include the copyright notice or information on the author of the work and any other information on the source of the work.