Fair use and other relevant copyright law provisions are the essential means by which teachers teach, students learn, and researchers advance knowledge. The Copyright Act of 1976 defines intellectual property principles in a way that is independent of the form of publication or distribution. These provisions apply to all formats and are essential to modern library and information services. The fair use guidelines define the limited copying that is allowed under the U.S. copyright law without the permission of the owner.
Educators have an obligation to educate students about their rights and responsibilities under intellectual property law.
Some of the resources that faculty wish to use with students fall outside the provisions of fair use. See the sections on specific formats for any of your questions.
Students may use portions of lawfully acquired copyrighted works in their academic projects, with proper credit and citations. They may retain them in personal portfolios as examples of their academic work. This includes the right to integrate various materials into computer/sound/visual programs if the resultant product remains the property of the student, is not placed into the school's collection and no copies are sold, broadcast, transmitted, or performed outside the classroom.
Students must include on the opening screen of their programs and on any printed materials that their presentation has been prepared under fair use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law and are restricted from further use. Be sure to refer to the fair use guidelines. Seek permission where there are any questions.
Material created for use in the classroom may or may not be suitable for presentations at conferences. The classroom guidelines no longer apply. While it may be appropriate to demonstrate at a conference program, be sure to have copyright permission for anything that is distributed or posted for conference attendees.
The educational rules do not apply in the commercial marketplace.
For instance, some library resources are available to students and faculty for academic research only. For instance, Forrester, Scarborough, and VentureXpert, among others, may not be used for internships, mentor, MCFE projects or other commercial use, although the Forrester reports can be consulted for the Babson Consulting Alliance Program and faculty case writing. Check with librarians if you have any questions.
