Copyright & Fair Use Basics

Learn the basics of U.S. Copyright law and how to apply fair use to your teaching and research

Copyright Exceptions

There are exceptions in the copyright law that allow for re-use of copyrighted material without the owner's permission, under certain circumstances. These exceptions aim to balance the rights of authors with the public's ability to create, share and learn.

The most common copyright exceptions in higher education include:

  • Fair use
  • The face-to-face teaching exemption (17 U.S. Code Section 110)
  • The TEACH Act (full revision of Section 110(2))

Classroom Use Exemption

This excellent tutorial from Sarah Benson, Copyright Librarian at the University of Illinois, goes over the basics of the face to face teaching exemption in U.S. copyright law.

Additional Resources