Currently viewing the tag: "fair use"

If you’re not already familiar with fair use, the balance in copyright law that allows for some reuse of copyrighted materials without specific permission, now may be the time.  There are generally four factors to consider under the doctrine which relate to: 1) the purpose of the use  2) the nature of the work  3) the amount used and 4) the market impact.  Read more about it on the Fair Use page on the Scholarly Communication at Tufts website.

If you’ve suddenly found yourself remote and in a situation quite different from how you would normally operate, these extreme and short term circumstances may mean that you make different decisions about what you can fairly use than you normally might.

This is something we are thinking about at the library as well.  In particular, with regard to our Interlibrary Loan service through ILLiad.  While we presently are not able to fill requests for physical items, we are taking into account the present situation and need for access to more book chapters, for example, than typical.  Please Ask Us if you would like to consult about the reuse of materials or have questions about interlibrary loan.

 

Post contributed by Judy Rabinowitz

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Fair use is hard at work, in places where you might not even realize or might take for granted.  Since this week is Fair Use Week, let’s celebrate the doctrine in Copyright Law that allows for the use of existing cultural and scientific material without permission, under certain circumstances, in order to promote innovation, creativity, and scholarship, fair use!  And, let’s take a moment to recognize all that fair use provides us…

News reporting – Fair use allows reporters to show previously created content to provide appropriate context around current events, giving the audience a better understanding of events that are unfolding.

Database Searching – Information can be indexed and searched, expediting discovery since fair use allows for the copying and ingestion of copyrighted works into searchable databases.

Text and Data Mining – The creation of searchable databases is a transformative fair use in which the copyrighted work is being used for a different purpose than its original intent. Internet search engines, plagiarism detection software, and other databases rely on this.

Art –  Fair use facilitates the use of culturally and historically significant clips and artifacts in various forms of entertainment. Appropriation art, such as Andy Warhol’s paintings of Campbell’s soup cans, relies extensively on preexisting works.

Fan fiction – Fair use permits the use of existing characters, songs, and audiovisual clips in the creation of new, user-generated content.

Parodies –  Since it is comedic commentary about a work, that, by definition, requires an imitation of the work to make its point, fair use allows it.

Documentary films – There are many ways in which documentary films may use copyrighted material.  Some examples include, for social or political critique, to illustrate points of argument, incidentally while filming something else, or in historical sequences.

And more!!!

Adapted from the Fair Use Promotes the Creation of New Knowledge Infographic

Post contributed by Judy Rabinowitz

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Thank you, Fair Use, for providing the freedom

to use other people’s work, of course, within reason.

As a fundamental balance in the Copyright Act,

uses like criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research are backed.

No permission is needed from the copyright holder.

Transformative use means there’s little burden to shoulder!

Post contributed by Judy Rabinowitz

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fairuseweek

Monday, February 22nd marks the beginning of Fair Use Week, a time to celebrate the balance in copyright law that addresses freedom of speech and accelerates advancement in education, the arts, science – you name it!

If you use other people’s work, such as images, and/or create content yourself, fair use is an important aspect of copyright law you should know about.  Before you add those images, tables, and figures to your next paper or load those excerpts up on TUSK and Trunk or post that content to your website, consider whether or not copyright law allows it.  Fair use may just be the reason you can.

But how do you know??  Never fear, Hirsh Health Sciences Library is here to help!  We provide information about fair use, including the factors to weigh when determining if you can reuse a work.  You can also send us your specific questions for some guidance on making a decision.

Lastly, join us for a workshop on using images next week.  We’ll survey and search image collections licensed by Tufts and in the public domain.  We will also discuss options for storage, display, and citing sources.  The session will be repeated.  Attend in Sackler 510, either on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, 4-5pm or Friday, February 26, 2016, 9-10am.

Post contributed by Judy Rabinowitz

 

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