US copyright law is directly tied to how libraries provide information to their users.
General Copyright Information
- US Copyright Office – The world’s largest database of copyrighted works and copyright information services.
- Copyright Information Site
- ALA Copyright Resources
- Copyright and Fair Use Animation
Fair Use
Fair Use permits limited use of copyrighted works. Here are some tools that may help you determine what is fair use.
- U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Index
- Understanding Fair Use (U. Minnesota Libraries)
- Fair Use Quiz
- Fair Use Evaluator
- Copyright Genie
- Exceptions for Instructors
- Section 108
First Sale
First Sale allows libraries to purchase and lend out printed materials. These resources help explain the First Sale Doctrine
Creative Commons
Creative Commons licenses allows libraries and users to decide when and how their content is used and shared.
- Creative Commons and Copyright – An overview of how Creative Commons works
- A Shared Culture – A video explaining the goals of Creative Commons.
- Public Domain versus Creative Commons