21st Century Information Fluency

Full Circle Resource Kits

Quick Pick Search Graphic

Here are our suggested answers:

A teacher makes a single backup copy of DVD's purchased for her history class.

This is probably within the guidelines of fair use, as long as the intended use is a back up copy. Making a backup copy, to replace an original that is damaged, may also be allowed by the maker of the DVD.

A teacher places recordings of classical music intended for homework on the school web site.

This probably violates fair use, as an example of making copies widely available that may deprive a copyright owner of income. Even though the music is classical, there is still a copyright owner. A better practice would be to link to existing copies of the music on the Internet, not post additional copies. Providing less than 30 seconds of a musical recording is widely practiced on the Internet and does not violate fair use.

On the spur of the moment, a teacher copies whole chapters from a new literature textbook for her class to read.

This probably violates fair use, as an example of reproducing more than a small amount of an imaginative work, that may also deprive a copyright owner of income. It is allowable for teachers to reprint materials on the spur of the moment, but the amount of the material copied in this case is problematic. It would be better to try to get permission from the publisher first.