Copyright: Basic Information & Guidelines
[Faculty
Handbook Category #1]
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Page
What Works are
Protected by Copyright?
What Works are Not Protected by Copyright?
What Rights are
Granted by Copyright Law?
How is Copyright
Protection Obtained?
What is Copyright
Infringement?
How Do I Comply With
the Copyright Law?
How Do I Apply the
Fair Use Factors?
Classroom
Guidelines: General Guidelines
Classroom
Guidelines: Copying of Printed Text
Materials
Classroom
Guidelines: Copying of Music
Classroom Guidelines: Copying and Use of Videotapes and DVDs
Classroom Guidelines: Creation and
Use of Multimedia Projects
A. CONFU
Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia
1.3 Applicability of These Guidelines
2. Preparation of Educational Multimedia Projects
Using Portions of Copyrighted Works
2.2 By Educators for Curriculum-Based Instruction
3. Permitted Uses of Educational Multimedia Programs
Created Under These Guidelines
3.2 Educator Use for Curriculum-Based Instruction
3.3 Educator Use for Peer Conferences
3.4 Educator Use for Professional Portfolio
4. Limitations--Time, Portion, Copying and
Distribution
4.3 Copying and Distribution Limitations
5. Examples of When Permission is Required
5.1 Using Multimedia Projects for Non-Educational or
Commercial Purposes
5.2 Duplication of Multimedia Projects Beyond
Limitations Listed in These Guidelines
5.3 Distribution of Multimedia Projects Beyond
Limitations Listed in These Guidelines
6.1 Caution in Downloading Material from the Internet
6.2 Attribution and Acknowledgement
6.3 Notice of Use Restrictions
6.4 Future Uses Beyond Fair Use
6.5 Integrity of Copyrighted Works: Alterations
6.6 Reproduction or Decompilation of Copyrighted
Computer Programs
B. CONFU
Proposal for Educational Fair Use Guidelines for Digital Images
1.2 Background:
Rights in Visual Images.
1.3 Applicability of These Guidelines
2. Image Digitization and Use By Educational
Institutions
2.1 Digitizing by Institutions: Newly Acquired Analog Visual Images
2.3 Access, Display, and Distribution on an
Institution’s Secure Electronic Network
3. Use By Educators, Scholars, And Students
3.1 Educator Use of Images Digitized Under These
Guidelines
3.2 Use of Images for Peer Conferences
3.3 Use of Images for Publications
3.4 Student Use of Images Digitized Under These
Guidelines
4. Image Digitization by Educators, Scholars, and
Students for Spontaneous Use
5. Important Reminders and Fair Use Limitations Under
These Guidelines
5.1 Creation of Digital Image Collections
5.3 Attribution and Acknowledgment
5.5 Portions from Single Sources Such as Published
Compilations or Motion Pictures.
5.6 Portions of Individual Images
5.7 Integrity of Images: Alterations
5.8 Caution in Downloading Images from Other
Electronic Sources
6. Transition Period for Pre-Existing Analog Image
Collections
6.2 Digitizing by Institutions: Images in Pre-Existing Analog Image
Collections
B. The
CONFU Educational Fair Use Guidelines for Distance Learning
1.3 Distance Learning In General
2. Applicability and Eligibility
2.1 Applicability of The Guidelines
3. Works Performed for Instruction
5.2 Reproduction And Access To Copies
6.1 Commercially Produced Multimedia
7. Examples Of When Permission Is Required
7.2 Dissemination of Recorded Courses
7.3 Uncontrolled Access to Classes
7.4 Use Beyond the 15-day Limitation
Classroom Guidelines for Paper Reserves
CONFU Fair Use
Guidelines for Electronic Reserve Systems
Part II of this document explains the basic concepts
of copyright law, including what works are protected and what uses of those
works are not permitted. You should
familiarize yourself with this section to understand when copyright issues may
arise.
Part III explains the concept of “fair use” and
provides examples of the four-part analysis to determine whether a use is
“fair.” You should analyze your proposed
use under the four fair use factors to determine whether you may use the work
without permission or a license. If you
are uncertain how to apply the fair use factors, or want more explicit guidance
on a specific type of use, you should consult the guidelines set forth in Parts
IV, V, VI, or VII.
In the 1970’s, and again in the 1990’s, various
stakeholders assembled to create more specific guidelines for fair use by educational
institutions. In addition to the Classroom
Guidelines drafted by Congress and set forth in Section IV, the Conference on
Fair Use (CONFU) proposed four sets of guidelines. The CONFU Guidelines for Fair Use of
Educational Multimedia and Digital Images are set forth in Part V, the CONFU
Guidelines on Distance Learning are set forth in Part VI, and the CONFU Guidelines
on Electronic Regimes are set forth in Part VII.
Another helpful resource are the Rules of Thumb for
fair use developed by the
Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to consult this document before using the work of a third party. For assistance in complying with copyright law, please consult either Janet Collrin of IIT at x3613, or Sarah Leake at x3713.
What Works are Protected by
Copyright?
Copyright protects “original works of authorship”
that are fixed in a tangible form of expression. Copyrightable works include the following
categories:
·
literary works;
·
musical works, including any accompanying words;
·
dramatic works, including any accompanying music;
·
pantomimes and choreographic works;
·
pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;
·
motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
·
sound recordings; and
·
architectural works.
These categories should be viewed broadly. For example, computer programs and most
compilations are protected as “literary works”; maps and architectural plans
are protected as “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works.”
What Works are Not Protected by Copyright?
There
are some materials that are not subject to copyright protection,
including:
·
Works in the
public domain (generally limited to works created before 1923);
·
Most works
created by the
·
Works that
lack sufficient creativity or originality for copyright protection; and
·
Facts and
ideas (ideas can be extremely creative but they still aren’t
copyrightable).
No
permission is required to use these types of works, but your use is permissible
only if the entire work falls into one or more of these categories. For example, a sound recording of a Beethoven
sonata is protected by copyright even though the underlying work is in the
public domain. Similarly, a compilation
or specific organization of facts may be protected even though the underlying
facts are not themselves protected.
What Rights are Granted by Copyright Law?
Copyright law protects these creative works for a limited term, during which the owner
of the copyright in a creative work has the exclusive rights:
·
To
reproduce the work in copies
or phonorecords;
·
To prepare derivative
works based upon
the work;
·
To
distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or
by rental, lease, or lending;
·
To
perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and
choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual
works;
·
To
display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic
works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the
individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and
·
In the
case of sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by
means of a digital audio
transmission.
How is Copyright Protection Obtained?
The
way in which copyright protection is secured is frequently misunderstood. No publication or registration or other
action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright. Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created. A work is “created” when it is fixed in a
tangible form of expression, such as in a book, manuscript, sheet music, film,
videotape, microfilm, cassette tapes, CDs, or LPs.
What is
Copyright Infringement?
Exercising
any of the exclusive rights (reproduction, display, performance, etc.) without
permission from the copyright owner generally constitutes copyright
infringement, unless the use is allowed under fair use or another defense.
The
penalties for copyright infringement can be severe—up to $150,000 per work
infringed—but complying with the college’s Copyright guidelines
How Do I
Comply With the Copyright Law?
If you want to reproduce, distribute, display or
publicly perform a copyright-protected work, you need to have the right to do
so. There are only two ways to establish
that you are permitted to use a copyright-protected work:
(1) You have obtained permission from the copyright owner; or
(2) Your use is “fair use” as defined in the Copyright Act.
The
safest course of action is to obtain permission from the copyright owner. Permission may be obtained directly from the
owner or through collective rights organizations, such as the
Permission
is not always required, as the Copyright Act provides that certain “fair uses”
do not constitute infringements. Part
III of this document explains the doctrine of “fair use” and how to apply the
four factors to determine if your proposed use is “fair.” As an alternative to
a “fair use” analysis, you can also review the Classroom Guidelines or the
CONFU Guidelines in Parts IV and V to determine if your use fits within those
guidelines. Finally, if you are using
material for distance learning, you should consult Section VI of the document
to determine if your proposed use is permissible under the TEACH Act or the
CONFU Guidelines for Distance Learning. This
document should help you determine when permission should be sought.
Assuming that the work in question is protected by
copyright law, and you would like to avoid asking permission of the copyright
owner, the only way to avoid infringement is if your proposed use would be
considered a “fair use” under the law.
“Fair use” was codified in the Copyright Act of 1976. Section 107 of the Copyright Act states that
“the fair use of a copyrighted work for purposes such as criticism, comment,
news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use),
scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.”
Section 107 sets forth the factors to be
considered in determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case
is a fair use:
(1) The
purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial
nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) The
nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) The
amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted
work as a whole; and
(4) The
effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted
work.
The
Act provides only factors to consider in determining whether a use is fair; it
does not offer definitive guidance as to whether a specific type of use is
non-infringing, even in a non-profit, educational context. Each situation must be analyzed in light of
all the factors.
How Do I
Apply the Fair Use Factors?
Factor #1: Purpose and Character of Use
·
Is the use
transformative (commentary, criticism or parody) or a mere
reproduction/display/performance?
·
Is the use
non-profit, educational or commercial?
Factor #2: Nature of the Copyrighted Work
·
Is the work
published or unpublished?
·
Is the work
factual (e.g., a textbook) or fictional (e.g., a novel)?
Factor #3: Amount and Substantiality
·
The less of a
work used, the better (a few lines from a book vs. a reproduction of a painting). Note that even a small amount may be
problematic if the portion used is the “heart” of the work.
Factor #4: Effect of Use on Potential Market
·
Does the use
deprive copyright owner of income or undermine the owner’s potential market for
the work?
The
more factors that favor a finding of fair use, the more likely that a court
would also consider the use to be fair.
A few examples for illustration:
Situation #1: A
professor would like to share an article from a news magazine with her students
to discuss the article in next week’s sociology class. She would like to scan the article and send
it in an e-mail to her 30 students.
Scanning a document is equivalent to reproducing the article, an
exclusive right held by the copyright owner.
If the professor does this, is she infringing or is it fair use?
Factor #1: Purpose and Character of Use
The
purpose and character of the use is nonprofit educational and she plans to
discuss the article in class (teaching/commentary), so this factor weighs in
favor of finding fair use.
Factor #2: Nature of the Copyrighted Work
The
work is published and the fact that it is a news article, rather than a short
story or poem, weighs in favor of finding fair use.
Factor #3: Amount and Substantiality
Although
the article is only one of several in the magazine, the professor is reproducing
the entire article, so this factor weighs more heavily against a finding of fair
use.
Factor #4: Effect of Use on Potential Market
If
the owner of the copyright licenses reproduction rights and the professor could
easily contact the owner and pay the royalty rate, it could be argued that the
use has a negative market effect for the owner.
On the other hand, the magazine’s market is primarily selling
subscriptions; even if there were lots of articles published in this magazine
that lots of professors were reproducing for classroom use, that might have a
positive market effect for the magazine as more subscriptions would be
purchased for the initial access to the article. Given these facts, this factor weighs in
favor of fair use.
With
three factors in favor, and only one against, the professor’s plan to scan and
send the article to 30 students would likely be considered a fair use.
Situation #2: A
professor would like to create an “electronic coursepack” with a selection of
excerpts from various sources to use in his political science class for the
next few years. Rather than make
photocopies of the materials through the College Bookstore, the professor would
prefer to save some trees and provide the relevant chapters on a weekly basis
by e-mail to his students. If the
professor does this, is he infringing or is it fair use?
Factor
#1: Purpose and Character of Use
The
purpose and character of the use is nonprofit educational and the professor
plans to discuss the material in class (teaching/commentary), so this factor
weighs in favor of finding fair use.
Factor
#2: Nature of the Copyrighted Work
The
works are all published and, although the material is not as creative as a poem
or short story, the excerpts discussing political issues and theory are more
creative than math or science material.
This factor weighs against a finding of fair use.
Factor
#3: Amount and Substantiality
The
professor is only reproducing one chapter from each source. Assuming that the chapters copied are not the
“heart” of the works, this factor weighs in favor of finding fair use.
Factor #4: Effect of Use on Potential Market
If
the professor collected the excerpts into a paper coursepack for reproduction
through the College Bookstore, the Bookstore would contact the owners of the
copyright to obtain permission, and likely would pay a small license fee for
many of the works. The use of an
“electronic coursepack” has a negative market effect on the copyright owners
who are not receiving any license fees.
Creation of a custom anthology also hurts the market for other
anthologies, which are subject to license fees and also must be purchased by
students. This factor weighs heavily
against a finding of fair use.
The
fourth factor weighs heavily against a finding of fair use, and when that is
the case, that factor is usually given a lot of weight in the overall fair use
analysis. So with two factors “for” and
two factors “against” (and one of those factors being the commercial effects
factor), the conclusion is that this is not a fair use.
Situation #3: As
an assignment for an art history class, a student created a multi-media project
incorporating Renaissance paintings and rap music. The student used short portions of the songs
with lyrics that relate to, and comment upon, the subject matter of
paintings. Now that class is over, the
student would like to post the project on his web site for his friends and family
to view.
First,
the Renaissance paintings are not subject to copyright protection, because they
were created prior to 1923. Although
photographs are subject to copyright protection, a photograph that merely
reflects the painting lack sufficient creativity to be protected by copyright. Thus, the only copyright protected material
at issue in this example is the rap music.
Factor
#1: Purpose and Character of Use
The
use of the music for the class project is educational, and limited display
within the class is likely a fair use.
While the proposed public display of the project on the student’s web
site is no longer for an educational purpose, the use of the rap music is
transformative, as the lyrics relate to and comment upon the subject matter of the
works of art. This factor weighs in
favor of a finding of fair use.
Factor
#2: Nature of the Copyrighted Work
The
rap music is published and highly creative, thus this factor weighs against a
finding of fair use.
Factor
#3: Amount and Substantiality
The
student only used short snippets (less than one minute) of each song. This factor weighs for a finding of fair use.
Factor
#4: Effect of Use on Potential Market
The
use of small portions of songs will not negatively impact the market for the
entire works. This factors weighs in
favor of a finding of fair use.
With
three factors in favor, and only one against, the student’s display of the
multi-media project is likely a “fair use” under the Copyright Act.
Determining
whether a use is fair can be a difficult and frustrating process. Even with an understanding of the nuances of
various court cases analyzing fair use, one may still not be confident that a
use is non-infringing.
To
provide more certainty to educators who often reproduce materials for classroom
use, in 1976, Congress, together with the Copyright Office, convened with authors,
publishers and educators to develop a set of “fair use” guidelines for
classroom use. The resulting report,
“Agreement on Guidelines for Classroom Copying in Not-for-Profit Educational
Institutions with Respect to Books and Periodicals” is a published House
Report, but is not an actual law.
Most
judges consider the report to be persuasive authority, therefore, complying
with these guidelines is generally a safe course of action. However, many educators consider the
guidelines overly restrictive, as many uses of copyrighted works that would
exceed the scope of the guidelines could still be considered fair use.
The
guidelines offer general guidance and specific rules for printed text
materials, music, videotapes and multimedia projects.
Classroom
Guidelines: General Guidelines
1. Copying
may not:
a. Be used to create, replace or
substitute for anthologies, compilations or collective works;
b. Substitute for the purchase of books,
publisher’s reprints or periodicals; or
c. Be repeated with respect to the same
item by the same educator from term to term.
2. It is not permissible to copy works
intended to be “consumable” in the course of study or teaching, such as
workbooks, exercises, standardized tests, test booklets or answer sheets.
3. Students may not be charged for copied
material beyond the actual cost of duplication.
4. All
copies that are used in the classroom must include:
a. The copyright notice that appears on
the original work;
b. Proper attribution (the source of the
copyrighted work, such as author, title, publisher and place and date of
publication); and
c. A notice that the material is copied
under the fair use exemption of U.S. Copyright Law and is restricted from
further use.
5. The number of copies should be limited
to one copy per student.
Classroom Guidelines: Copying
of Printed Text Materials
Single
copy: A single copy of printed text material may be made by or for an educator for
the purposes of teaching, preparation for teaching, or scholarly research, as
long as the material is limited to:
·
One chapter
from a book;
·
One article
from a periodical or newspaper;
·
One short
story, short essay, or short poem (whether or not from a collective work); or
·
One chart,
graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon, or picture from a book, periodical, or
newspaper.
Multiple
copies: Multiple copies of printed text material may be made for one-time distribution
to a single credit-bearing class of students if the copying meets the brevity,
spontaneity and cumulative
effect tests.
Brevity Test: The following materials meet the test for
brevity:
Poetry
·
A complete
poem if less than 250 words and if printed on not more than two pages, or
·
An excerpt of
not more than 250 words from a longer poem.
Prose
·
The complete
work or an excerpt of an article, story or essay if the work is 2,500 words or
less, or
·
An excerpt
from any prose work that is more than 2,500 words, not to exceed 10% of the
work or 1000 words, whichever is less.
Illustrations
·
One chart,
graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture per book or per periodical issue.
“Special” works
·
An excerpt
comprising not more than two of the published pages of a “special work” and
containing not more than 10% of the words found in the text. (A “special work” is a work in poetry or
prose or in “poetic prose” that may combine language with illustrations and
falls short of 2,500 words.)
Spontaneity Test: The following circumstances meet the test for
spontaneity:
·
The copying
is at the instance and inspiration of the individual educator, and
·
The
inspiration and decision to use the work and the moment of its use for maximum
teaching effectiveness are so close in time that it would be unreasonable to
expect a timely reply to a request for permission.
Cumulative Effect Test: The following facts are required for the
cumulative effect test:
·
The copying
of the material is for only one course.
·
Not more than
one short poem, article, story, essay or two excerpts may be copied from the
same author, and not more than three from the same collective work or
periodical volume during one class term.
·
There are not
more than nine instances of such multiple copying for one course during one
class term.
Note: The last two limitations do not apply to
current news periodicals and newspapers or current news sections of other
periodicals.
Situation
#1: A professor would like to share an article from a
news magazine with her students to discuss the article in next week’s
class. She would like to scan the
article and send it in an e-mail to her 30 students.
Scanning
a document is equivalent to reproducing the article, an exclusive right held by
the copyright owner. Is this permitted
under the Classroom Guidelines?
Under
the Classroom Guidelines, multiple copies of printed text material may be made for one-time distribution
to a single credit-bearing class of students if the copying meets the brevity,
spontaneity and cumulative
effect tests. The “Brevity Test” is met
if the article is less than 2500 words.
The “Spontaneity Test” is met because the professor decided to use the
article only a week before the class.
The “Cumulative Effects Test” is met if the copying is only for one
course. There are no limits with regard
to other articles copied from the same author, from the same news magazine, or
total instances of copying, as the article is within the exception for news
periodicals and newspapers. The
professor’s plan to scan the article and e-mail it to 30 students is permitted
under the Classroom Guidelines.
Classroom Guidelines: Copying
of Music
Multiple
Copies for Performance: Making multiple copies of music for performances
is prohibited, except for the emergency purpose of replacing purchased copies
that are not available for an imminent
performance. The purchased
replacement copies must be substituted in due course.
Multiple
Copies for Academic Purposes: Multiple copies of excerpts of musical works may
be made for academic purposes other than performance if:
·
The excerpts
constitute less than 10% of the whole work, and
·
The excerpts
do not comprise a part of the whole that would constitute a performable unit
such as a section, movement or aria.
Single
Copy for Academic Purposes: A single copy of an entire performable unit
(section, movement, aria, etc.) may be made for academic purposes other than
performance if either:
·
The work is
confirmed by the copyright proprietor to be out of print, or
·
The work is
unavailable except in a larger work and the copy is made by or for an educator
solely for the purpose of scholarly research or preparation for teaching.
Editing or
Simplifying Copies: Printed copies that have been purchased may
be edited or simplified, provided that the fundamental character of the work is
not distorted, that the lyrics (if any) are not altered, and that no lyrics are
added, if none exist.
Recordings
of Student Performances: A single copy of recordings of performances by
students may be made for evaluation or rehearsal purposes and may be retained
by St. Olaf or an individual educator.
Recordings
of Copyrighted Music: A single copy of a sound recording (such as a
tape, disc or cassette) of copyrighted music may be made from sound recordings
owned by St. Olaf or an individual educator for the purpose of constructing
aural exercises or examinations and may be retained by the educational
institution or individual educator.
Classroom Guidelines: Copying and Use of Videotapes and
DVDs
Copying
generally prohibited: Copying copyright-protected audio or video
material is not allowed unless written permission is obtained in advance from
the copyright owner.
Pre-recorded
Videotapes or DVDs: In general, public performance or display of
videotapes or DVDs is an exclusive right of the copyright owner. Videotapes and DVDs are licensed for “home
use only,” which is not applicable to display to groups of students in a public
place, such as a library or classroom.
Section 110(1) of the 1976 Copyright Act
creates an exception that permits the showing of copyright-protected work in a classroom setting in connection with
face-to-face teaching activities of a non-profit educational institution,
as long as in the case of motion pictures or audiovisual works, the copy used
was lawfully obtained.
While the videotape or DVD needs to be lawfully
obtained, it does not need to be owned by the college. An instructor may
show a personal or rental copy as long as the other requirements of Section
110(1) are met.
Videotapes
or DVDs on Reserve: While libraries can rent
lawfully obtained videotapes or DVDs for students to check out and watch at
home (as permitted under the “home use only” license on commercial videotapes),
libraries may not show movies to groups within the library without a license or
other exception. Videotapes and DVDs may be placed on reserve for
students to view in personal viewing carrels or private rooms in very small
groups, on the grounds that this is akin to “home use.”
Recordings
of Television Programs: Television programs may be recorded for classroom
use under the following circumstances:
·
The
television program was broadcast for viewing by the general public. Use of pay-per-view programs is not
permitted.
·
An educator
may show a television recording once, in the classroom, within 10 school days
from the date of recording.
·
A television
recording may be retained for no more than 45 calendar days immediately
following the date of recording. At the
end of this period, the recording must be erased or destroyed.
·
Television
recordings may not be altered from their original content, and may not be
physically or electronically combined or merged to constitute teaching
anthologies or compilations.
Classroom Guidelines: Creation and Use of Multimedia Projects
Educational
multimedia projects may incorporate students’ or educators’ original material,
such as course notes or commentary, together with various copyrighted media
formats, such as motion media, text, graphics, music, photographs, and
software, combined into an integrated presentation.
Creation
for Academic Purposes: In general, educators may incorporate portions of
lawfully acquired copyrighted works when producing their own educational
multimedia programs, subject to the time, portion and distribution limitations
listed below:
Time Limitation: Educators
may use multimedia projects for only two years after the initial use. Use beyond that time period requires
permission for each copyrighted portion incorporated into the project.
Portion Limitation:
·
Motion
media: up to 10% or 3 minutes, whichever is less
·
Text
material: up to 10% or 1000 words, whichever is less
·
Music,
lyrics, music video: up to 10% but in no event more than 30 seconds of
an individual work
·
Illustrations
and photographs: no more than 5 images by an artist or
photographer, or when using images from a collective work, no more than 10% or
15 images, whichever is less
·
Data
sets: up to 10% or 2500 fields or cell entries, whichever is less
Note: Educators
should exercise caution in downloading digital material from the internet, as
much of the material on the internet is copyright protected.
Distribution Limitation: Only two
use copies may exist for a multimedia project. Of the two use copies, only one copy
may be placed on reserve. An additional
copy may be made for archival or backup purposes, such as retention by
educators for later personal use in their own professional portfolios.
Performance
and Display: The performance and display of educator-created
multimedia projects is limited to:
·
Face-to-face
instruction (such as a classroom setting);
·
Directed
self-study by students; or
·
Over a secure
electronic network, for distance learning, after-class review, or directed
self-study, if the network has adequate technological protections that
limits access and prevents copying of the copyrighted material.
Note: If the technology cannot prevent copying, the
multimedia project may only be made available on a network for a period of 15
days, after which time the project may be placed on reserve at a library for
on-site use by students. Students should
be advised that they are not permitted to make copies of the project.
The
Conference on Fair Use (CONFU) met in the late 1990’s to try to develop
guidelines around fair use in several areas, including distance learning,
multimedia, electronic reserves, interlibrary loan and image collections. Although guidelines were prepared in each of
these areas, the copyright stakeholders involved could not reach
consensus. Thus, the guidelines are not
only not law, they do not provide a safe harbor of any kind, as they were never
adopted. It may still be a useful
exercise, however, to look to the guidelines in considering whether a
particular use would be considered “fair.”
A. CONFU
Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia
1.1 Preamble. Fair
use is a legal principle that defines the limitations on the exclusive rights
of copyright holders. The purpose of
these guidelines is to provide guidance on the application of fair use
principles by educators, scholars and students who develop multimedia projects
using portions of copyrighted works under fair use rather than by seeking
authorization for non-commercial educational uses. These guidelines apply only to fair use in
the context of copyright and to no other rights.
There is no simple test to
determine what is fair use. Section 107
of the Copyright Act sets forth the four fair use factors which should be
considered in each instance, based on particular facts of a given case, to
determine whether a use is a “fair use”:
(1) the purpose and character of use, including whether such use is of a
commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes, (2) the nature of
the copyrighted work, (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in
relation to the copyrighted work as a whole, and (4) the effect of the use upon
the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
While only the courts can
authoritatively determine whether a particular use is fair use, these
guidelines represent the participants consensus of conditions under which fair
use should generally apply and examples of when permission is required. Uses that exceed these guidelines may nor may
not be fair use. The participants also
agree that the more one exceeds these guidelines, the greater the risk that fair
use does not apply.
The limitations and
conditions set forth in these guidelines do not apply to works in the public
domain--such as U.S. Government works or works on which copyright has expired
for which there are no copyright restrictions--or to works for which the
individual or institution has obtained permission for the particular use. Also, license agreements may govern the uses
of some works and users should refer to the applicable license terms for
guidance.
The participants who
developed these guidelines met for an extended period of time and the result
represents their collective understanding in this complex area. Because digital technology is in a dynamic
phase, there may come a time when it is necessary to review the
guidelines. Nothing in these guidelines
shall be construed to apply to the fair use privilege in any context outside of
educational and scholarly uses of educational multimedia projects.
This Preamble is an integral
part of these guidelines and should be included whenever the guidelines are
reprinted or adopted by organizations and educational institutions. Users are encouraged to reproduce and
distribute these guidelines freely without permission; no copyright protection
of these guidelines is claimed by any person or entity.
1.2 Background. These
guidelines clarify the application of fair use of copyrighted works as teaching
methods are adapted to new learning environments. Educators have traditionally brought
copyrighted books, videos, slides, sound recordings and other media into the
classroom, along with accompanying projection and playback equipment. Multimedia creators integrated these
individual instructional resources with their own original works in a
meaningful way, providing compact educational tools that allow great
flexibility in teaching and learning.
Material is stored so that it may be retrieved in a nonlinear fashion,
depending on the needs or interests of learners. Educators can use multimedia projects to
respond spontaneously to students’ questions by referring quickly to relevant
portions. In addition, students can use
multimedia projects to pursue independent study according to their needs or at
a pace appropriate to their capabilities.
Educators and students want guidance about the application of fair use
principles when creating their own multimedia projects to meet specific
instructional objectives.
1.3 Applicability of These Guidelines. (Certain
basic terms used throughout these guidelines are identified in bold and defined
in this section.)
These guidelines apply to
the use, without permission, of portions of lawfully acquired copyrighted works
in educational multimedia projects which are created by educators or students
as part of a systematic learning activity by nonprofit educational
institutions.
Educational multimedia projects created under these guidelines incorporate
students’ or educators’ original material, such as course notes or commentary,
together with various copyrighted media formats including but not limited to,
motion media, music, text material, graphics, illustrations, photographs and
digital software which are combined into an integrated presentation. Educational
institutions are defined as nonprofit organizations whose primary focus is
supporting research and instructional activities of educators and students for
noncommercial purposes.
For the purposes of the guidelines,
educators include faculty, teachers,
instructors, and others who engage in scholarly, research and instructional
activities for educational institutions.
The copyrighted works used under these guidelines are lawfully acquired if obtained by the
institution or individual through lawful means such as purchase, gift or
license agreement but not pirated copies.
Educational multimedia projects which incorporate portions of
copyrighted works under these guidelines may be used only for educational purposes in systematic
learning activities including use in connection with non-commercial
curriculum-based learning and teaching activities by educators to students
enrolled in courses at nonprofit educational institutions or otherwise
permitted under Section 3. While these
guidelines refer to the creation and use of educational multimedia projects,
readers are advised that in some instances other fair use guidelines such as
those for off-air taping may be relevant.
2. Preparation of Educational Multimedia
Projects Using Portions of Copyrighted Works
These uses are subject to
the Portion Limitations listed in Section 4.
They should include proper attribution and citation as defined in
Sections 6.2.
2.1 By Students. Students may incorporate portions of lawfully
acquired copyrighted works when producing their own educational multimedia
projects for a specific course.
2.2 By Educators for Curriculum-Based
Instruction. Educators may incorporate portions of
lawfully acquired copyrighted works when producing their own educational
multimedia programs for their own teaching tools in support of curriculum-based
instructional activities at educational institutions.
3. Permitted
Uses of Educational Multimedia Programs Created Under These Guidelines
Uses of educational
multimedia projects created under these guidelines are subject to the Time,
Portion, Copying and Distribution Limitations listed in Section 4.
3.1 Student Use. Students
may perform and display their own educational multimedia projects created under
Section 2 of these guidelines for educational uses in the course for which they
were created and may use them in their own portfolios as examples of their academic
work for later personal uses such as job and graduate school interviews
3.2 Educator Use for Curriculum-Based
Instruction. Educators
may perform and display their own educational multimedia projects created under
Section 2 for curriculum-based instruction to students in the following
situations:
3.2.1 For face-to-face
instruction,
3.2.2 Assigned to
students for directed self-study,
3.2.3 For remote
instruction to students enrolled in curriculum-based courses and located at
remote sites, provided over the educational institution’s secure electronic
network in real-time, or for after class review or directed self-study,
provided there are technological limitations on access to the network and
educational multimedia project (such as a password or PIN) and provided further
that the technology prevents the making of copies of copyrighted material.
If the educational
institution’s network or technology used to access the educational multimedia
project created under Section 2 of these guidelines cannot prevent duplication
of copyrighted material, students or educators may use the multimedia
educational projects over an otherwise secure network for a period of only 15
days after its initial real-time remote use in the course of instruction or 15
days after its assignment for directed self-study. After that period, one of the two use copies
of the educational multimedia project may be placed on reserve in a learning
resource center, library or similar facility for on-site use by students
enrolled in the course. Students shall
be advised that they are not permitted to make their own copies of the
multimedia project.
3.3 Educator Use for Peer Conferences. Educators
may perform or display their own multimedia projects created under Section 2 of
these guidelines in presentations to their peers, for example, at workshops and
conferences.
3.4 Educator Use for Professional Portfolio. Educators
may retain educational multimedia projects created under Section 2 of these
guidelines in their personal portfolios for later personal uses such as tenure
review or job interviews.
4. Limitations--Time, Portion, Copying and
Distribution
The preparation of
educational multimedia projects incorporating copyrighted works under Section
2, and the use of such projects under Section 3, are subject to the limitations
noted below.
4.1 Time Limitations. Educators
may use their educational multimedia projects created for educational purposes
under Section 2 of these guidelines for teaching courses, for a period of up to
two years after the first instructional use with a class. Use beyond that time period, even for
educational purposes, requires permission for each copyrighted portion
incorporated in the production. Students
may use their educational multimedia projects as noted in Section 3.1.
4.2 Portion Limitations. Portion
limitations mean the amount of a copyrighted work that can reasonably be used
in educational multimedia projects under these guidelines regardless of the
original medium from which the copyrighted works are taken. In
the aggregate means the total amount of copyrighted material from a
single copyrighted work that is permitted to be used in an educational
multimedia project without permission under these guidelines. These limits apply cumulatively to each
educator’s or student’s multimedia project(s) for the same academic semester,
cycle or term. All students should be
instructed about the reasons for copyright protection and the need to follow
these guidelines. It is understood,
however, that students in kindergarten through grade six may not be able to
adhere rigidly to the portion limitations in this section in their independent
development of educational multimedia projects.
In any event, each such project retained under Sections 3.1 and 4.3
should comply with the portion limitations in this section.
4.2.1 Motion Media. Up
to 10% or 3 minutes, whichever is less, in the aggregate of a copyrighted motion
media work may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part of a multimedia
project created under Section 2 of these guidelines.
4.2.2 Text Material. Up
to 10% or 1000 words, whichever is less, in the aggregate of a copyrighted work
consisting of text material may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part
of a multimedia project created under Section 2 of these guidelines. An entire poem of less than 250 words may be
used, but no more than three poems by one poet, or five poems by different
poets from any anthology may be used.
For poems of greater length, 250 words may be used but no more than
three excerpts by a poet, or five excerpts by different poets from a single
anthology may be used.
4.2.3 Music, Lyrics, and Music Video. Up
to 10%, but in no event more than 30 seconds, of the music and lyrics from an
individual musical work (or in the aggregate of extracts from an individual
work), whether the musical work is embodied in copies, or audio or audiovisual
works, may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as a part of a multimedia
project created under Section 2. Any
alterations to a musical work shall not change the basic melody or the
fundamental character of the work.
4.2.4 Illustrations and Photographs. The
reproduction or incorporation of photographs and illustrations is more
difficult to define with regard to fair use because fair use usually precludes
the use of an entire work. Under these
guidelines a photograph or illustration may be used in its entirety but no more
than 5 images by an artist or photographer may be reproduced or otherwise
incorporated as part of an educational multimedia project created under Section
2. When using photographs and
illustrations from a published collective work, not more than 10% or 15 images,
whichever is less, may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part of an
educational multimedia project created under Section 2.
4.2.5 Numerical Data Sets. Up
to 10% or 2500 fields or cell entries, whichever is less, from a copyrighted
database or data table may be reproduced or otherwise incorporated as part of a
educational multimedia project created under Section 2 of these
guidelines. A field entry is defined as
a specific item of information, such as a name or Social Security number, in a
record of a database file. A cell entry
is defined as the intersection where a row and a column meet on a
spreadsheet.
4.3 Copying and Distribution Limitations. Only a limited number of copies, including the
original, may be made of an educator’s educational multimedia project. For all of the uses permitted by Section 3,
there may be no more than two use copies only one of which may be placed on
reserve as described in Section 3.2.3.
An additional copy may be
made for preservation purposes but may only be used or copied to replace a use
copy that has been lost, stolen, or damaged.
In the case of a jointly created educational multimedia project, each principal
creator may retain one copy but only for the purposes described in Sections 3.3
and 3.4 for educators and Section 3.1 for students.
5. Examples of When Permission is Required
5.1 Using Multimedia Projects for
Non-Educational or Commercial Purposes. Educators
and students must seek individual permissions (licenses) before using
copyrighted works in educational multimedia projects for commercial
reproduction and distribution.
5.2 Duplication of Multimedia Projects Beyond
Limitations Listed in These Guidelines. Even
for educational uses, educators and students must seek individual permissions
for all copyrighted works incorporated in their personally created educational
multimedia projects before replicating or distributing beyond the limitations
listed in Section 4.3.
5.3 Distribution of Multimedia Projects
Beyond Limitations Listed in These Guidelines. Educators
and students may not use their personally created educational multimedia
projects over electronic networks, except for uses as described in Section
3.2.3, without obtaining permissions for all copyrighted works incorporated in
the program.
6.1 Caution in Downloading Material from the
Internet. Educators
and students are advised to exercise caution in using digital material
downloaded from the Internet in producing their own educational multimedia
projects, because there is a mix of works protected by copyright and works in
the public domain on the network. Access
to works on the Internet does not automatically mean that these can be
reproduced and reused without permission or royalty payment and, furthermore,
some copyrighted works may have been posted to the Internet without
authorization of the copyright holder.
6.2 Attribution and Acknowledgement. Educators
and students are reminded to credit the sources and display the copyright
notice © and copyright ownership information if this is shown in the original
source, for all works incorporated as part of the educational multimedia
projects prepared by educators and students, including those prepared under fair
use. Crediting the source must
adequately identify the source of the work, giving a full bibliographic
description where available (including author, title, publisher, and place and
date of publication). The copyright
ownership information includes the copyright notice (©, year of first
publication and name of the copyright holder).
The credit and copyright
notice information may be combined and shown in a separate section of the
educational multimedia project (e.g. credit section) except for images
incorporated into the project for the uses described in Section 3.2.3. In such cases, the copyright notice and the
name of the creator of the image must be incorporated into the image when, and
to the extent, such information is reasonably available; credit and copyright
notice information is considered “incorporated” if it is attached to the image
file and appears on the screen when the image is viewed. In those cases when displaying source credits
and copyright ownership information on the screen with the image would be
mutually exclusive with an instructional objective (e.g. during examinations in which the source
credits and/or copyright information would be relevant to the examination
questions), those images may be displayed without such information being
simultaneously displayed on the screen.
In such cases, this information should be linked to the image in a
manner compatible with such instructional objectives.
6.3 Notice of Use Restrictions. Educators
and students are advised that they must include on the opening screen of their
multimedia program and any accompanying print material a notice that certain
materials are included under the fair use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law
and have been prepared according to the multimedia fair use guidelines and are
restricted from further use.
6.4 Future Uses Beyond Fair Use. Educators
and students are advised to note that if there is a possibility that their own
educational multimedia project incorporating copyrighted works under fair use
could later result in broader dissemination, whether or not as commercial
product, it is strongly recommended that they take steps to obtain permissions
during the development process for all copyrighted portions rather than waiting
until after completion of the project.
6.5 Integrity of Copyrighted Works: Alterations. Educators
and students may make alterations in the portions of the copyrighted works they
incorporate as part of an educational multimedia project only if the
alterations support specific instructional objectives. Educators and students are advised to note
that alterations have been made.
6.6 Reproduction or Decompilation of
Copyrighted Computer Programs. Educators
and students should be aware that reproduction or decompilation of copyrighted
computer programs and portions thereof, for example the transfer of underlying
code or control mechanisms, even for educational uses, are outside the scope of
these guidelines.
6.7 Licenses and Contracts. Educators
and students should determine whether specific copyrighted works, or other data
or information are subject to a license or contract. Fair use and these guidelines shall not
preempt or supersede licenses and contractual obligations.
B. CONFU Proposal for Educational Fair Use Guidelines for
Digital Images
The Committee
on Fair Use (CONFU) also proposed a draft of Educational Fair Use Guidelines
for Digital Images. If you are planning
to digitize analog images, whether newly acquired or pre-existing, you should
review these guidelines to see if your use fits within these proposed
rules. While the guidelines are not law,
they do reflect the concerns and thoughts of various copyright stakeholders,
and may be helpful in your own fair use analysis. The Guidelines are reprinted in their
entirety below.
1.1 Preamble. Fair use is a legal principle that
provides certain limitations on the exclusive rights of copyright holders. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide
guidance on the application of fair use principles by educational institutions,
educators, scholars, and students who wish to digitize copyrighted visual
images under fair use rather than by seeking authorization from the copyright
owners for non-commercial educational purposes.
These guidelines apply to fair use only in the context of copyright.
There is no simple test to
determine what is fair use. Section 107
of the Copyright Act sets forth the four fair use factors which should be
assessed in each instance, based on the particular facts of a given case, to
determine whether a use is a “fair use”:
(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is
of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes, (2) the nature
of the copyrighted work, (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used
in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole, and (4) the effect of the use
upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
While only the courts can
authoritatively determine whether a particular use is fair use, these guidelines
represent the endorsers’ consensus of conditions under which fair use should
generally apply and examples of when permission is required. Uses that exceed these guidelines may or may
not be fair use. The participants also
agree that the more one exceeds these guidelines, the greater the risk that fair
use does not apply.
The limitations and
conditions set forth in these guidelines do not apply to works in the public
domain - such as U.S. government works or works on which copyright has expired
for which there are no copyright restrictions - or to works for which the
individual or institution has obtained permission for the particular use. Also, license agreements may govern the uses
of some works and users should refer to the applicable license terms for
guidance.
Those who developed these
guidelines met for an extended period of time and the result represents their
collective understanding in this complex area.
Because digital technology is in a dynamic phase, there may come a time
when it is necessary to review the guidelines.
Nothing in these guidelines should be construed to apply to the fair use
privilege in any context outside of educational and scholarly uses of digital
images. These guidelines do not cover
non-educational or commercial digitization or use at any time, even by
non-profit educational institutions.
These guidelines are not intended to cover fair use of copyrighted works
in other educational contexts such as educational multimedia projects,
[distance education, or electronic reserves,] which may be addressed in other fair
use guidelines.
This Preamble is an
integral part of these guidelines and should be included whenever the
guidelines are reprinted or adopted by organizations and educational
institutions. Users are encouraged to
reproduce and distribute these guidelines freely without permission; no
copyright protection of these guidelines is claimed by any person or
entity.
1.2 Background: Rights in Visual Images. As photographic and electronic technology
has advanced, the making of high-quality reproductions of visual images has
become easier, cheaper and more widely accessible. However, the fact that images may be easily
available does not automatically mean they can be reproduced and reused without
permission. Confusion regarding
intellectual property rights in visual images arises from the many ways that
images are created and the many sources that may be related to any particular
image. Clearing permission, when
necessary, requires identifying the holder of the applicable rights. Determining all the holders of the rights
connected with an image requires an understanding of the source of the image,
the content portrayed, and the creation of the image, both for original visual
images and for reproductions of images.
Visual images can be
original works or reproductions of other works; in some cases, original works
may incorporate reproductions of other works as well. Often, a digital image is several generations
removed from the visual image it reproduces.
For example, a digital image of a painting may have been scanned from a
slide, which was copied from a published book that contained a printed
reproduction of the work of art; this reproduction may have been made from a
color transparency photographed directly from the original painting. There may be intellectual property rights in
the original painting, and each additional stage of reproduction in this chain
may involve another layer of rights.
A digital image can be an
original visual image, a reproduction, a published reproduction, or a copy of a
published reproduction. An original
visual image is a work of art or an original work of authorship (or a part of a
work), fixed in digital or analog form and expressed in a visual medium. Examples include graphic, sculptural, and
architectural works, as well as stills from motion pictures or other
audio-visual works. A reproduction is a
copy of an original visual image in digital or analog form. The most common forms of reproductions are
photographic, including prints, 35mm slides, and color transparencies. The original visual image shown in a
reproduction is often referred to as the “underlying work.” Digital images can
be reproductions of either original visual images or of other
reproductions. A published reproduction
is a reproduction of an original visual image appearing in a work distributed
in copies and made available to the public by sale or other transfer of
ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending.
Examples include a plate in an exhibition catalog that reproduces a work
of art, and a digital image appearing in a CD-ROM or online. A copy of a published reproduction is a
subsequent copy made of a published reproduction of an original visual image,
for example, a 35 mm slide which is a copy of an image in a book.
The rights in images in
each of these layers may be held by different rightsholders; obtaining rights
to one does not automatically grant rights to use another, and therefore all
must be considered when analyzing the rights connected with an image. Rights to use images will vary depending not
only on the identities of the layers of rightsholders, but also on other
factors such as the terms of any bequest or applicable license.
1.3 Applicability
of These Guidelines. These guidelines apply to the creation of
digital images and their use for educational purposes. The guidelines cover (1) pre-existing analog
image collections and (2) newly acquired analog visual images. These guidelines do not apply to images
acquired in digital form, or to images in the public domain, or to works for
which the user has obtained the relevant and necessary rights for the
particular use.
Only lawfully acquired
copyrighted analog images (including original visual images, reproductions,
published reproductions, and copies of published reproductions) may be
digitized pursuant to these guidelines.
These guidelines apply only to educational institutions, educators,
scholars, students, and image collection curators engaging in instructional,
research, or scholarly activities at educational institutions for educational
purposes.
1.4 Definitions. Educational
institutions are defined as nonprofit organizations whose
primary purpose is supporting the nonprofit instructional, research, and
scholarly activities of educators, scholars, and students. Examples of educational institutions include
K-12 schools, colleges, and universities; libraries, museums, hospitals, and
other nonprofit institutions also are considered educational institutions under
this definition when they engage in nonprofit instructional, research, or
scholarly activities for educational purposes.
Educational purposes
are defined as non-commercial instruction or curriculum-based teaching by
educators to students at nonprofit educational institutions, and research and scholarly activities,
defined as planned non-commercial study or investigation directed toward making
a contribution to a field of knowledge and non-commercial presentation of
research findings at peer conferences, workshops, or seminars.
Educators
are faculty, teachers, instructors, curators, librarians, archivists, or
professional staff who engage in instructional, research, or scholarly
activities for educational purposes as their assigned responsibilities at
educational institutions; independent scholars also are considered educators
under this definition when they offer courses at educational institutions. Students
are participants in instructional, research, or scholarly activities for
educational purposes at educational institutions.
A digital image is a visual work stored in binary code (bits and
bytes). Examples include bitmapped
images (encoded as a series of bits and bytes each representing a particular
pixel or part of the image) and vector graphics (encoded as equations and/or
algorithms representing lines and curves).
An analog image collection
is an assemblage of analog visual images systematically maintained by an
educational institution for educational purposes in the form of slides,
photographs, or other stand-alone visual media.
A pre-existing analog image
collection is one in existence as of [December 31, 1996]. A newly
acquired analog visual image is one added to an institution’s
collection after [December 31, 1996].
A visual online
catalog is a database
consisting of thumbnail images of an institution’s lawfully acquired image
collection, together with any descriptive text including, for example,
provenance and rights information that is searchable by a number of fields,
such as source. A thumbnail image, as used in a visual
online catalog or image browsing display to enable visual identification of
records in an educational institution’s image collection, is a small scale,
typically low resolution, digital reproduction which has no intrinsic
commercial or reproductive value.
2. Image Digitization and Use By
Educational Institutions
This Section covers
digitization by educational institutions of newly acquired analog visual images
and Section 6 covers digitization of pre-existing analog image
collections. Refer to the applicable
section depending on whether you are digitizing newly acquired or pre-existing
analog visual works.
2.1 Digitizing
by Institutions: Newly Acquired Analog
Visual Images. An educational institution may digitize
newly, lawfully, acquired analog visual images to support the permitted
educational uses under these guidelines unless such images are readily
available in usable digital form for purchase or license at a fair price. Images that are readily available in usable
digital form for purchase or license at a fair price should not be digitized
for addition to an institutional image collection without permission.
2.2 Creating
Thumbnail Images. An educational institution may create
thumbnail images of lawfully acquired images for inclusion in a visual catalog
for use at the institution. These
thumbnail images may be combined with descriptive text in a visual catalog that
is searchable by a number of fields, such as the source.
2.3 Access,
Display, and Distribution on an Institution’s Secure Electronic Network. Subject to the time limitations in
Section 2.4, an educational institution may display and provide access to
images digitized under these guidelines through its own secure electronic
network. When displaying digital images
on such networks, an educational institution should implement technological
controls and institutional policies to protect the rights of copyright owners,
and use best efforts to make users aware of those rights. In addition, the educational institution must
provide notice stating that digital images on its secure electronic network
shall not be downloaded, copied, retained, printed, shared, modified, or
otherwise used, except as provided for in the permitted educational uses under
these guidelines.
2.3.1 Visual
online catalog. An educational institution may display a
visual online catalog, which includes the thumbnail images created as part of
the institution’s digitization process, on the institution’s secure electronic
network, and may provide access to such catalog by educators, scholars, and
students affiliated with the educational institution.
2.3.2 Course
compilations of digital images. An educational institution may display an
educator’s compilation of digital images (see also Section 3.1.2) on the
institution’s secure electronic network for classroom use, after-class review,
or directed study, provided that there are technological limitations (such as a
password or PIN) restricting access only to students enrolled in the
course. The institution may display such
images on its secure electronic network only during the semester or term in
which that academic course is given.
2.3.3 Access,
display, and distribution beyond the institution’s secure electronic network. Electronic
access to, or display or distribution of, images digitized under these
guidelines, including the thumbnail images in the institution’s visual online
catalog, is not permitted beyond the institution’s own electronic network, even
for educational purposes. However, those
portions of the visual online catalog which do not contain images digitized
under these guidelines, such as public domain images and text, may be accessed,
displayed, distributed beyond the institution’s own secure electronic network.
2.4 Time
Limitations for Use of Images Digitized by Institutions from Newly Acquired
Analog Visual Images. An educational institution may use and
retain in digital image collections images which are digitized from newly
acquired analog visual images under these guidelines, as long as the retention
and use comply with the following conditions:
2.4.1 Images digitized from a known source and
not readily available in usable digital form for purchase or license at a fair
price may be used for one academic term and may be retained in digital form
while permission is being sought.
Permission is required for uses beyond the initial use; if permission is
not received, any use is outside the scope of these guidelines and subject to
the four-factor fair use analysis (see Section 1.1).
2.4.2 Where the rightsholder of an image is
unknown, a digitized image may be used for up to 3 years from first use,
provided that a reasonable inquiry (see Section 5.2) is conducted by the
institution seeking permission to digitize, retain, and reuse the digitized
image. If, after 3 years, the
educational institution is unable to identify sufficient information to seek
permission, any further use of the image is outside the scope of these
guidelines and subject to the four-factor fair use analysis (see Section 1.1).
3. Use By Educators, Scholars, And
Students
Subject to the time
limitations in Section 2.4, images digitized under these guidelines may be used
by educators, scholars, and students as follows:
3.1 Educator
Use of Images Digitized Under These Guidelines.
3.1.1 An educator may display digital images for
educational purposes, including face-to-face teaching of curriculum-based
courses, and research and scholarly activities at a non-profit educational
institution.
3.1.2 An educator may compile digital images for
display on the institution’s secure electronic network (see also Section 2.3.2)
to students enrolled in a course given by that educator for classroom use,
after-class review, or directed study, during the semester or term in which the
educator’s related course is given.
3.2 Use
of Images for Peer Conferences. Educators, scholars, and students may use
or display digital images in connection with lectures or presentations in their
fields, including uses at non-commercial professional development seminars,
workshops, and conferences where educators meet to discuss issues relevant to
their disciplines or present works they created for educational purposes in the
course of research, study, or teaching.
3.3 Use
of Images for Publications. These guidelines do not cover reproducing
and publishing images in publications, including scholarly publications in
print or digital form, for which permission is generally required. Before publishing any images under fair use,
even for scholarly and critical purposes, scholars and scholarly publishers
should conduct the four-factor fair use analysis (see Section 1.1).
3.4 Student
Use of Images Digitized Under These Guidelines.
Students
may:
·
Use digital images in an academic course assignment such
as a term paper or thesis, or in fulfillment of degree requirements.
·
Publicly display their academic work incorporating digital
images in courses for which they are registered and during formal critiques at
a nonprofit educational institution.
·
Retain their academic work in their personal portfolios
for later uses such as graduate school and employment applications.
Other student uses are
outside the scope of these guidelines and are subject to the four-factor fair
use analysis (see Section 1.1).
4. Image
Digitization by Educators, Scholars, and Students for Spontaneous Use
Educators, scholars, and
students may digitize lawfully acquired images to support the permitted
educational uses under these guidelines if the inspiration and decision to use
the work and the moment of its use for maximum teaching effectiveness are so
close in time that it would be unreasonable to expect a timely reply to a
request for permission. Images digitized
for spontaneous use do not automatically become part of the institution’s image
collection. Permission must be sought
for any reuse of such digitized images or their addition to the institution’s
image collection.
5. Important
Reminders and Fair Use Limitations Under These Guidelines
5.1 Creation
of Digital Image Collections. When digitizing copyrighted images, as
permitted under these guidelines, an educational institution should
simultaneously conduct the process of seeking permission to retain and use the
digital images. Where the rightsholder
is unknown, the institution should pursue and is encouraged to keep records of
its reasonable inquiry (see Section 5.2).
Rightsholders and others who are contacted are encouraged to respond
promptly to inquiries.
5.2 Reasonable
Inquiry. A reasonable inquiry by an institution
for the purpose of clearing rights to digitize and use digital images includes,
but is not limited to, conducting each of the following steps: (1) checking any information within the
control of the educational institution, including slide catalogs and logs,
regarding the source of the image; (2) asking relevant faculty, departmental
staff, and librarians, including visual resource collections administrators,
for any information regarding the source of the image; (3) consulting standard
reference publications and databases for information regarding the source of
the image; and (4) consulting rights reproduction collectives and/or major
professional associations representing image creators in the appropriate
medium.
5.3 Attribution
and Acknowledgment. Educators, scholars, and students should
credit the sources and display the copyright notice(s) with any copyright
ownership information shown in the original source, for all images digitized by
educators, scholars, and students, including those digitized under fair use. Crediting the source means adequately
identifying the source of the work, giving a full bibliographic description
where available (including the creator/author, title, publisher, and place and
date of publication) or citing the electronic address if the work is from a
network source. Educators, scholars, and
students should retain any copyright notice or other proprietary rights notice
placed by the copyright owner or image archive or collection on the digital
image, unless they know that the work has entered the public domain or that the
copyright ownership has changed. In
those cases when source credits and copyright ownership information cannot be
displayed on the screen with the image for educational reasons (e.g., during
examinations), this information should still be linked to the image.
5.4 Licenses
and Contracts. Institutions should determine whether
specific images are subject to a license or contract; a license or contract may
limit the uses of those images.
5.5 Portions
from Single Sources Such as Published Compilations or Motion Pictures. When digitizing and using individual
images from a single source such as a published compilation (including but not
limited to books, slide sets, and digital image collections), or individual
frames from motion pictures or other audiovisual works, institutions and
individuals should be aware that fair use limits the number and substantiality
of the images that may be used from a single source. In addition, a separate copyright in a
compilation may exist. Further, fair use requires consideration of the effect
of the use on the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. The greater the number and substantiality of
images taken from a single source, the greater the risk that the use will not
be fair use.
5.6 Portions
of Individual Images. Although the use of entire works is usually
not permitted under fair use, it is generally appropriate to use images in
their entirety in order to respect the integrity of the original visual image,
as long as the limitations on use under these guidelines are in place. For purposes of electronic display, however,
portions of an image may be used to highlight certain details of the work for
educational purposes as long as the full image is displayed with or linked to
the portion.
5.7 Integrity
of Images: Alterations. In order to maintain the integrity of
copyrighted works, educators, scholars, and students are advised to exercise
care when making any alterations in a work under fair use for educational
purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, scholarship, and research. Furthermore, educators, scholars, and
students should note the nature of any changes they make to original visual
images when producing their own digital images.
5.8 Caution
in Downloading Images from Other Electronic Sources. Educators, scholars, and students are
advised to exercise caution in using digital images downloaded from other
sources, such as the Internet. Such
digital environments contain a mix of works protected by copyright and works in
the public domain, and some copyrighted works may have been posted to the
Internet without authorization of the copyright holder.
6. Transition Period for Pre-Existing
Analog Image Collections
6.1 Context. Pre-existing visual resource collections
in educational institutions (referred to in these guidelines as “pre-existing
analog image collections”) often consist of tens of thousands of images, which
have been acquired from a wide variety of sources over a period of many
years. Many pre-existing collections
lack adequate source information for older images and standards for accession
practices are still evolving. In
addition, publishers and vendors may no longer be in business, and information
about specific images may no longer be available. For many images there may also be several
layers of rightsholders: the rights in an
original visual image are separate from rights in a reproduction of that image
and may be held by different rightsholders.
All these factors complicate the process of locating rightsholders, and
seeking permissions for pre-existing collections will be painstaking and time
consuming.
However, there are
significant educational benefits to be gained if pre-existing analog image
collections can be digitized uniformly and systematically. Digitization will allow educators to employ
new technologies using the varied and numerous images necessary in their
current curricula. At the same time,
rightsholders and educational institutions have concerns that images in some
collections may have been acquired without permission or may be subject to
restricted uses. In either case, there
may be rightsholders whose rights and interests are affected by digitization
and other uses.
The approach agreed upon
by the representatives who developed these guidelines is to permit educational
institutions to digitize lawfully acquired images as a collection and to begin
using such images for educational purposes.
At the same time, educational institutions should begin to identify the
rightsholders and seek permission to retain and use the digitized images for
future educational purposes. Continued
use depends on the institutions’ making a reasonable inquiry (see Section 5.2)
to clear the rights in the digitized image.
This approach seeks to strike a reasonable balance and workable solution
for copyright holders and users who otherwise may not agree on precisely what
constitutes fair use in the digital era.
6.2 Digitizing
by Institutions: Images in Pre-Existing
Analog Image Collections.
6.2.1. Educational institutions may digitize images
from pre-existing analog image collections during a reasonable transition
period of 7 years (the approximate useful life of a slide) from [December 31,
1996]. In addition, educators, scholars,
and students may begin to use those digitized images during the transition
period to support the educational uses under these guidelines. When digitizing images during the transition
period, institutions should simultaneously begin seeking the permission to digitize,
retain and reuse all such digitized images.
6.2.2 Digitization from pre-existing analog image
collections is subject to limitations on portions from single sources such as
published compilations or motion pictures (see Section 5.5). Section 6 of these guidelines should not be
interpreted to permit the systematic digitization of images from an educational
institution’s collections of books, films, or periodicals as part of any
methodical process of digitizing images from the institution’s pre-existing
analog image collection during the transition period.
6.2.3 If, after a reasonable inquiry (see Section
5.2), an educational institution is unable to identify sufficient information
to seek appropriate permission during the transition period, continued retention
and use is outside the scope of these guidelines and subject to the four-factor
fair use analysis (see Section 1.1).
Similarly, digitization and use of such collections after the expiration
of the transition period is outside the scope of these guidelines and subject
to the four-factor fair use analysis (see Section 1.1).
Prior
to the passage of the Technology, Education & Copyright Harmonization Act
(TEACH Act) in 2002, the use of materials in distance education was constrained
by the narrow provision of Sections 110(2) and 112 of the Copyright Act. The transmission of performances and displays
in connection with distance education was much more limited than what was
allowed in face-to-face classroom teaching.
The TEACH Act attempts to
update the treatment of distance education under the Copyright Act. The Act basically allows the transmission of
copyrighted materials in distance education, without permission from the
copyright owner, IF numerous conditions are met.
The amended Section 110(2)
now permits the following activities, previously prohibited:
(a) Transmission
of all of a non-dramatic literary or
musical works;
(b) Transmission
of reasonable portions of other performances (e.g., audiovisual works); and
(c) Transmission
of displays of works in amounts comparable to face-to-face displays (e.g. slideshow of still images).
The TEACH Act applies to
works that the instructor would show or play during a regular face-to-face
class, but applies to the distance transmission. The Act does not cover works that an
instructor would like students to watch or listen to on their own time.
The
TEACH Act only applies to nonprofit educational institutions that have a policy
on use of copyrighted materials and provide accurate information to faculty,
staff and students about copyright. The
following checklist summarizes the other numerous conditions required to transmit copyrighted works under the
Act:
The materials to be used are
specifically for students in a given course
Access will be limited
to the students in the course
The materials are
provided by the instructor as part of a relevant lesson
The materials are
directly related to the content of the course
The material includes a
notice that it is protected by copyright
A technology is used
that reasonably limits student’s ability to retain or distribute the materials
The availability of the
materials is limited to the time necessary in the course
The material will be
stored on a secure server
Only the amount necessary
for transmission is copied
The materials are the
type and amount authorized under the Act (non-dramatic literary or musical
works, portions of audiovisual works, still images)
The materials are not
excluded from the Act (materials marketed for distance education, textbooks,
course packs, electronic reserves)
If digitizing an analog
original, only the amount to be transmitted is copied and there is no digital
copy of the work otherwise available
B. The CONFU Educational Fair Use Guidelines for
Distance Learning
The Committee on Fair Use (CONFU) also
drafted Fair Use Guidelines for Distance Learning. If your proposed use does not meet all of the requirements of the
TEACH Act, you may still be able to use the material if the use is acceptable
under the four-factor analysis for fair use.
If you are not certain if the use is “fair” you may consult these CONFU
guidelines for more specific guidance for fair use in distance learning. Although the CONFU Guidelines are not law,
they do reflect the thoughts and concerns of various copyright stakeholders,
and may be helpful in your own fair use analysis. The Guidelines are reprinted in their
entirety below.
1.1 Preamble. Fair use is a legal principle that provides certain limitations on
the exclusive rights of copyright holders.
The purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance on the
application of fair use principles by educational institutions, educators,
scholars and students who wish to use copyrighted works for distance education
under fair use rather than by seeking authorization from the copyright owners
for non-commercial purposes. The
guidelines apply to fair use only in the context of copyright.
There is no
simple test to determine what is fair use.
Section 107 of the Copyright Act sets forth the four fair use factors
which should be considered in each instance, based on the particular facts of a
given case, to determine whether a use is a fair use: (1) the purpose and character of the use,
including whether use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational
purposes, (2) the nature of the copyrighted work, (3) the amount and
substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a
whole, and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of
the copyrighted work.
While only the
courts can authoritatively determine whether a particular use is a fair use,
these guidelines represent the participants’ consensus of conditions under
which fair use should generally apply and examples of when permission is
required. Uses that exceed these
guidelines may or may not be fair use.
The participants also agree that the more one exceeds these guidelines,
the greater the risk that fair use does not apply. The limitations and conditions set forth in
these guidelines do not apply to works in the public domain -- such as U.S.
government works or works on which the copyright has expired for which there
are no copyright restrictions -- or to works for which the individual or
institution has obtained permission for the particular use. Also, license agreements may govern the uses
of some works and users should refer to the applicable license terms for
guidance.
The
participants who developed these guidelines met for an extended period of time
and the result represents their collective understanding in this complex
area. Because digital technology is in a
dynamic phase, there may come a time when it is necessary to revise these
guidelines. Nothing in these guidelines
should be construed to apply to the fair use privilege in any context outside
of educational and scholarly uses of distance education. The guidelines do not cover non-educational
or commercial digitization or use at any time, even by nonprofit educational
institutions. The guidelines are not
intended to cover fair use of copyrighted works in other educational contexts
such as educational multimedia projects, electronic reserves or digital images
which may be addressed in other fair use guidelines.
This Preamble
is an integral part of these guidelines and should be included whenever the
guidelines are reprinted or adopted by organizations and educational
institutions. Users are encouraged to
reproduce and distribute these guidelines freely without permission; no
copyright protection of these guidelines is claimed by any person or entity.
1.2 Background. Section 106 of the Copyright Act defines the right to perform or
display a work as an exclusive right of the copyright holder. The Act also provides, however, some
exceptions under which it is not necessary to ask the copyright holder’s
permission to perform or display a work.
One is the fair use exception contained in Section 107, which is
summarized in the preamble. Another set
of exceptions, contained in Sections 110(1)-(2), permit instructors and students
to perform or display copyrighted materials without permission from the
copyright holder under certain carefully defined conditions.
Section 110(1)
permits teachers and students in a nonprofit educational institution to perform
or display any copyrighted work in the course of face-to-face teaching
activities. In face-to-face instruction,
such teachers and students may act out a play, read aloud a poem, display a
cartoon or a slide, or play a videotape so long as the copy of the videotape
was lawfully obtained. In essence,
Section 110(1) permits performance and display of any kind of copyrighted work,
and even a complete work, as a part of face-to-face instruction.
Section 110(2)
permits performance of a nondramatic literary or musical work or display of any
work as a part of a transmission in some distance learning contexts, under the
specific conditions set out in that Section.
Section 110(2) does not permit performance of dramatic or audiovisual
works as a part of a transmission. The
statute further requires that the transmission be directly related and of
material assistance to the teaching content of the transmission and that the
transmission be received in a classroom or other place normally devoted to
instruction or by persons whose disabilities or special circumstances prevent
attendance at a classroom or other place normally devoted to instruction.
The purpose of
these guidelines is to provide guidance for the performance and display of
copyrighted works in some of the distance learning environments that have
developed since the enactment of Section 110 and that may not meet the specific
conditions of Section 110(2). They
permit instructors who meet the conditions of these guidelines to perform and
display copyrighted works as if they were engaged in face-to-face
instruction. They may, for example,
perform an audiovisual work, even a complete one, in a one-time transmission to
students so long as they meet the other conditions of these guidelines. They may not, however, allow such
transmissions to result in copies for students unless they have permission to
do so, any more than face-to-face instructors may make copies of audiovisual
works for their students without permission.
The developers
of these guidelines agree that these guidelines reflect the principles of fair
use in combination with the specific provisions of Sections 110(1)-(2). In most respects, they expand the provisions
of Section 110(2).
In some cases
students and teachers in distance learning situations may want to perform and
display only small portions of copyrighted works that may be permissible under
the fair use doctrine even in the absence of these guidelines. Given the specific limitations set out in
Section 110(2), however, the participants believe that there may be a higher
burden of demonstrating that fair use under Section 107 permits performance or
display of more than a small portion of a copyrighted work under circumstances
not specifically authorized by Section 110(2).
1.3 Distance Learning In General. Broadly viewed, distance learning is an educational process that
occurs when instruction is delivered to students physically remote from the
location or campus of program origin, the main campus, or the primary resources
that support instruction. In this
process, the requirements for a course or program may be completed through
remote communications with instructional and support staff including either
one-way or two-way written, electronic or other media forms.
Distance
education involves teaching through the use of telecommunications technologies
to transmit and receive various materials through voice, video and data. These avenues of teaching often constitute
instruction on a closed system limited to students who are pursuing educational
opportunities as part of a systematic teaching activity or curriculum and are
officially enrolled in the course.
Examples of such analog and digital technologies include telecourses,
audio and video teleconferences, closed broadcast and cable television systems,
microwave and ITFS, compressed and full-motion video, fiber optic networks,
audiographic systems, interactive videodisk, satellite-based and computer
networks.
2. Applicability and Eligibility
2.1 Applicability of The Guidelines. These guidelines apply to the performance of lawfully acquired
copyrighted works not included under section 110(2) (such as a dramatic work or
an audiovisual work) as well as to uses not covered for works that are included
in Section 110(2). The covered uses are
(1) live interactive distance learning classes (i.e., a teacher in a live class
with all or some of the students at remote locations) and (2) faculty
instruction recorded without students present for later transmission. They apply to delivery via satellite, closed
circuit television or a secure computer network. They do not permit circumventing anti-copying
mechanisms embedded in copyrighted works.
These
guidelines do not cover asynchronous delivery of distance learning over a
computer network, even one that is secure and capable of limiting access to
students enrolled in the course through PIN or other identification system. Although the participants believe fair use of
copyrighted works applies in some aspects of such instruction, they did not
develop fair use guidelines to cover these situations because the area is so
unsettled. The technology is rapidly
developing, educational institutions are just beginning to experiment with
these courses, and publishers and other creators of copyrighted works are in
the early stages of developing materials and experimenting with marketing
strategies for computer network delivery of distance learning materials. Thus, consideration of whether fair use
guidelines are needed for asynchronous computer network delivery of distance
learning courses perhaps should be revisited in three to five years.
In some cases,
the guidelines do not apply to specific materials because no permission is
required, either because the material to be performed or displayed is in the
public domain, or because the instructor or the institution controls all
relevant copyrights. In other cases, the
guidelines do not apply because the copyrighted material is already subject to
a specific agreement. For example, if
the material was obtained pursuant to a license, the terms of the license
apply. If the institution has received
permission to use copyrighted material specifically for distance learning, the
terms of that permission apply.
2.2.1 Eligible
Educational Institution. These guidelines apply to
nonprofit educational institutions at all levels of instruction whose primary
focus is supporting research and instructional activities of educators and
students but only to their nonprofit activities. They also apply to government agencies that
offer instruction to their employees.
2.2.2 Eligible
Students. Only students officially enrolled for the
course at an eligible institution may view the transmission that contains works
covered by these guidelines. This may
include students enrolled in the course who are currently matriculated at
another eligible institution. These guidelines
are also applicable to government agency employees who take the course or
program offered by the agency as a part of their official duties.
3. Works Performed for Instruction
3.1 Relation
To Instruction. Works performed must be integrated into the
course, must be part of systematic instruction and must be directly related and
of material assistance to the teaching content of the transmission. The performance may not be for entertainment
purposes.
4.1 Transmission
(Delivery). Transmission must be over a secure system with
technological limitations on access to the class or program such as a PIN
number, password, smartcard or other means of identification of the eligible
student.
4.2 Reception. Reception must be in a classroom or other similar
place normally devoted to instruction or any other site where the reception can
be controlled by the eligible institution.
In all such locations, the institution must utilize technological means
to prevent copying of the portion of the class session that contains
performance of the copyrighted work.
5.1 One
Time Use. Performance of an entire copyrighted work or
a large portion thereof may be transmitted only once for a distance learning
course. For subsequent performances,
displays or access, permission must be obtained.
5.2 Reproduction And Access To Copies
5.2.1 Receiving
Institution. The institution receiving the
transmission may record or copy classes that include the performance of an
entire copyrighted work, or a large portion thereof, and retain the recording
or copy for up to 15 consecutive class days (i.e., days in which the
institution is open for regular instruction) for viewing by students enrolled
in the course. Access to the recording
or copy for such viewing must be in a controlled environment such as a
classroom, library or media center, and the institution must prevent copying by
students of the portion of the class session that contains the performance of
the copyrighted work. If the institution
wants to retain the recording or copy of the transmission for a longer period
of time, it must obtain permission from the rightsholder or delete the portion
which contains the performance of the copyrighted work.
5.2.2 Transmitting
Institution. The transmitting institution may, under the
same terms, reproduce and provide access to copies of the transmission
containing the performance of a copyrighted work; in addition, it can exercise
reproduction rights provided in Section 112(b).
6.1 Commercially
Produced Multimedia. If the copyrighted multimedia work was
obtained pursuant to a license agreement, the terms of the license apply. If, however, there is no license, the
performance of the copyrighted elements of the multimedia works may be
transmitted in accordance with the provisions of these guidelines.
7. Examples Of When Permission Is Required
7.1 Commercial
uses. Any
commercial use including the situation where a nonprofit educational institution
is conducting courses for a for-profit corporation for a fee such as
supervisory training courses or safety training for the corporation’s
employees.
7.2 Dissemination
of Recorded Courses. An institution offering instruction via
distance learning under these guidelines wants to further disseminate the
recordings of the course or portions that contain performance of a copyrighted
work.
7.3 Uncontrolled Access to Classes. An institution (agency) wants to offer a
course or program that contains the performance of copyrighted works to
non-employees.
7.4 Use
Beyond the 15-day Limitation. An
institution wishes to retain the recorded or copied class session that contains
the performance of a copyrighted work not covered in Section 110(2). (It also could delete the portion of the
recorded class session that contains the performance.)
Section
108 of the Copyright Act authorizes libraries to exercise special rights in
addition to fair use rights. Section 108
provides that it is not an infringement of a copyright for a library to
reproduce and distribute no more than one copy of a work if:
(1) The reproduction and distribution is not
for commercial advantage,
(2) The collections of the library are open
to the public or at least unaffiliated persons doing research in a particular
field, and
(3) The reproduction or distribution
includes a copyright notice or a legend stating that the work may be protected
by copyright.
This
section only applies to:
(a) Copies of unpublished works made for
archival purposes,
(b) Copies of published works made to
replace a lost, stolen or damaged copy where no replacement can be obtained at
a fair price; or
(c) Interlibrary requests for copies of no
more than one article or other contribution to a collective work, or a small
part of a copyrighted work, IF the conditions for photocopying for patrons (set
forth below) are also met.
The
rights for libraries under Section 108 extend to the “isolated and unrelated
reproduction or distribution of a single copy of the same material on separate
occasions,” but do not extend to related reproduction or distribution of
multiple copies of the same material.
Libraries
may also make copies (electronic or paper) at the request of library patrons
only for single articles or small portions of a book or other work, as long
as: (1) the copy becomes the property of
the patron, (2) the library has no notice that the copy will be used for a
purpose other than study, scholarship or research, and (3) the library has a
display and order form that includes a warning of copyright (see below).
Regulations issued by the Copyright Office require a
specific Notice and Warning be used by libraries exercising their rights under
Section 108. The notice must be a
verbatim reproduction of the language below, in a type size as set forth below,
on display in the library and on the order forms requesting reproductions.
NOTICE
WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS
The
copyright law of the
Form
and Manner of Use:
(1) A Display Warning of Copyright shall be
printed on heavy paper or other durable material in type at least 18 points in
size, and shall be displayed prominently, in such manner and location as to be
clearly visible, legible, and comprehensible to a casual observer within the
immediate vicinity of the place where orders are accepted.
(2) An Order Warning of Copyright shall be
printed within a box located prominently on the order form itself, either on
the front side of the form or immediately adjacent to the space calling for the
name or signature of the person using the form.
The notice shall be printed in type size no smaller than that used
predominantly throughout the form, and in no case shall the type size be
smaller than 8 points. The notice shall
be printed in such manner as to be clearly legible, comprehensible, and readily
apparent to a casual reader of the form.
Libraries may allow patrons to make unsupervised
reproductions of copyright-protected material, so long as the library displays
a notice that making copies is subject to copyright law.
Copying, displaying and distributing copyrighted
works may infringe the owner’s copyrights.
The information on copyright in the Faculty
Handbook can help you determine whether your use of a copyrighted work may
be infringing. Use of computer or
reproduction equipment by students, faculty or staff for the infringing use of
copyrighted works is subject to disciplinary action, as well as those civil
remedies and criminal penalties provided by federal law.
This notice should be displayed near all
photocopiers or scanners available for patron use.
Section 108 of the Copyright Act permits library
participation in interlibrary arrangements that do not have, as their purpose
or effect, that copies of are received in such aggregate quantities as to
substitute for a subscription to or purchase of such work.
The National Commission on New Technological Uses of
Copyrighted Works (CONTU), established in 1976, provided some additional
guidance on what constitutes “such aggregate quantities as to substitute for a
subscription to or purchase of such work.” The commission issued the “CONTU
Guidelines on Photocopying Under Interlibrary Loan Arrangements.” These
guidelines are not law, but do set a standard against which behavior will be
measured.
Periodicals: The CONTU Guidelines state that with regard to a
given periodical (not just an issue of a periodical), six or more copies of
articles published in that periodical within five years prior to the date of a
request would constitute “such aggregate quantities as to substitute for a
subscription to or purchase of such work.”
Books or
Recordings: The CONTU Guidelines
state that with regard to a copyrighted work, such as books, recordings or
collective works, six or more copies from any given work during the term of the
copyright would constitute “such aggregate quantities as to substitute for a
subscription to or purchase of such work.”
If the requesting library has a subscription itself
or owns its own copy of the copyrighted work, but is requesting the material
because its own copy is not available, then such requests will not be counted
against the requesting institution.
The requesting institution should include with its
request a representation that its request conforms with the CONTU
Guidelines. Furthermore, the requesting
institution should maintain records of all requests made and fulfilled, and
these records should be retained for three years.
Both paper and electronic reserves implicate the
reproduction right under copyright law, and therefore must either be permitted
by the copyright owners or be a “fair use.”
Both the Classroom Guidelines for Paper Reserves and the CONFU Fair Use
Guidelines for Electronic Reserve Systems are set forth below. Again, neither of these Guidelines are law,
but they at least provide some guidance in that if your use is within the
guidelines, it is more likely that the use maybe fair use.
Classroom Guidelines for Paper
Reserves
The Classroom Guidelines recommendation for reserve
readings provide that photocopies of
an entire article, one chapter from a book, or a short poem may be placed on
reserve in a library. Up to one copy per ten students, with a
maximum of six copies for any single class,
will be allowed. Educators should seek
permission from copyright owners whenever there are questions regarding whether
copying for reserve constitutes fair use or if they wish more substantial
portions copied for reserve.
CONFU
Fair Use Guidelines for Electronic Reserve Systems
The CONFU Fair Use Guidelines for Electronic
Reserve Systems are reprinted in their entirety below:
Many college, university,
and school libraries have established reserve operations for readings and other
materials that support the instructional requirements of specific courses. Some educational institutions are now
providing electronic reserve systems that allow storage of electronic versions
of materials that students may retrieve on a computer screen, and from which
they may print a copy for their personal study.
When materials are included as a matter of fair use, electronic reserve
systems should constitute an ad hoc or supplemental source of information for
students, beyond a textbook or other materials.
If included with permission from the copyright owner, however, the scope
and range of materials is potentially unlimited, depending upon the permission
granted. Although fair use is determined
on a case-by-case basis, the following guidelines identify an understanding of fair
use for the reproduction, distribution, display, and performance of materials
in the context of creating and using an electronic reserve system.
Making materials
accessible through electronic reserve systems raises significant copyright
issues. Electronic reserve operations
include the making of a digital version of text, the distribution and display
of that version at workstations, and downloading and printing of copies. The complexities of the electronic
environment, and the growing potential for implicating copyright infringements,
raise the need for a fresh understanding of fair use. These guidelines are not intended to burden
the facilitation of reserves unduly, but instead offer a workable path that
educators and librarians may follow in order to exercise a meaningful
application of fair use, while also acknowledging and respecting the interests
of copyright owners.
These guidelines focus
generally on the traditional domain of reserve rooms, particularly copies of
journal articles and book chapters, and their accompanying graphics. Nevertheless, they are not meant to apply
exclusively to textual materials and may be instructive for the fair use of
other media. The guidelines also focus
on the use of the complete article or the entire book chapter. Using only brief excerpts from such works
would most likely also be fair use, possibly without all of the restrictions or
conditions set forth in these guidelines.
Operators of reserve systems should also provide safeguards for the
integrity of the text and the author’s reputation, including verification that
the text is correctly scanned.
The guidelines address
only those materials protected by copyright and for which the institution has
not obtained permission before including them in an electronic reserve
system. The limitations and conditions
set forth in these guidelines need not apply to materials in the public domain-such
as works of the U.S. government or works on which copyright has expired-or to
works for which the institution has obtained permission for inclusion in the
electronic reserve system. License
agreements may govern the use of some materials. Persons responsible for electronic reserve
systems should refer to applicable license terms for guidance. If an instructor arranges for students to
acquire a work by some means that includes permission from the copyright owner,
the instructor should not include that same work on an electronic reserve
system as a matter of fair use.
1. In accordance with fair use (Section 107 of the U.S.
Copyright Act), electronic reserve systems may include copyrighted materials at
the request of a course instructor.
2. Electronic reserve systems may include short items (such as
an article from a journal, a chapter from a book or conference proceedings, or
a poem from a collected work) or excerpts from longer items. “Longer items” may
include articles, chapters, poems, and other works that are of such length as
to constitute a substantial portion of a book, journal, or other work of which
they may be a part. “Short items” may
include articles, chapters, poems, and other works of a customary length and
structure as to be a small part of a book, journal, or other work, even if that
work may be marketed individually.
3. Electronic reserve systems should not include any material
unless the instructor, the library, or another unit of the educational
institution possesses a lawfully obtained copy.
4. The total amount of material included in electronic reserve
systems for a specific course as a matter of fair use should be a small
proportion of the total assigned reading for a particular course.
1. On a preliminary or introductory screen, electronic reserve
systems should display a notice, consistent with the notice described in
Section 108(f)(1) of the Copyright Act.
The notice should include additional language cautioning against further
electronic distribution of the digital work.
2. If a notice of copyright appears on the copy of a work that
is included in an electronic reserve system, the following statement shall
appear at some place where users will likely see it in connection with access
to the particular work:
“The work from which this
copy is made includes this notice:
[restate the elements of the statutory copyright notice: e.g., Copyright 1996, XXX Corp.]”
3. Materials included in electronic reserve systems should
include appropriate citations or attributions to their sources.
1. Electronic reserve systems should be structured to limit
access to students registered in the course for which the items have been
placed on reserve, and to instructors and staff responsible for the course or
the electronic system.
2. The appropriate methods for limiting access will depend on
available technology. Solely to suggest
and not to prescribe options for implementation, possible methods for limiting
access may include one or more of the following or other appropriate methods:
(a) individual password controls or
verification of a student’s registration status; or
(b) password system for each class; or
(c) retrieval of works by course number or
instructor name, but not by author or title of the work; or
(d) access limited to workstations that are
ordinarily used by, or are accessible to, only enrolled students or appropriate
staff or faculty.
3. Students should not be charged specifically or directly for
access to electronic reserve systems.
1. Permission from the copyright holder is required if the item
is to be reused in a subsequent academic term for the same course offered by
the same instructor, or if the item is a standard assigned or optional reading
for an individual course taught in multiple sections by many instructors.
2. Material may be retained in electronic form while permission
is being sought or until the next academic term in which the material might be
used, but in no event for more than three calendar years, including the year in
which the materials are last used.
3. Short-term access to materials included on electronic
reserve systems in previous academic terms may be provided to students who have
not completed the course.