UCSB Library is participating in Fair Use Week, a national event coordinated annually by the Association of Research Libraries that celebrates and explores fair use rights under the copyright statute. We invite you to learn more about fair use in academia by visiting our information table in the Library Paseo during Fair Use Week, February 20-24, 2017.
What is fair use? It’s an exception to copyright law that allows the use of copyrighted materials without permission or payment under certain circumstances. In many cases, you can usecopyrighted materials for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship or research. Fair use is flexible, allowing copyright to adapt to new technologies, promoting scholarly progress, and accommodating freedom of speech and expression.
However, since the fair use exception lacks specifics, it can be confusing for faculty and students. To analyze whether a use is fair, consider the following four factors:
- Purpose: What is the purpose and character of the use?
- Nature: What is the nature of the work?
- Amount: How much of the copyrighted work is used? The more you use, the less likely it’s a fairuse.
- Effect: How will use affect the market for or value of the work?
At the table in the Library Paseo, you can:
- Learn more about the four factors and pick up a “Fair Use Checklist” to help you determine whether use of a work is fair.
- Watch a video clip of attorney and copyright expert Kenneth Crews discussing fair use during a 2015 talk he delivered at UCSB Library.
- Get a free Fair Use Week button and a “Fair Use Fundamentals” handout.
- Consult with a librarian about fair use between 12-1pm each day.
For more information about fair use, go to http://www.library.ucsb.edu
We look forward to seeing you in the Library during Fair Use Week!
