1. Copyright and FairUseGuidelines forTeachers
This chart was designed to inform teachers of what they www.techlearning.com. More detailed information about
may do under the law. Feel free to make copies for teachers fair use guidelines and copyright resources is available at
in your school or district, or download a PDF version at www.halldavidson.net.
Medium Specifics What you can do The Fine Print
• Poem less than 250 words; 250-word • Teachers may make multiple copies • Copies may be made only from legally
Printed Material
excerpt of poem greater than 250 words for classroom use, and incorporate into acquired originals.
(short)
multimedia for teaching classes.
• Articles, stories, or essays less than • Only one copy allowed per student.
2,500 words • Students may incorporate text into • Teachers may make copies in nine
multimedia projects.
• Excerpt from a longer work (10 percent instances per class per term.
of work or 1,000 words, whichever is • Usage must be “at the instance
less) and inspiration of a single teacher,”
• One chart, picture, diagram, or cartoon i.e., not a directive from the district.
per book or per periodical issue • Don’t create anthologies.
• Two pages (maximum) from an • “Consumables,” such as workbooks,
illustrated work less than 2,500 words, may not be copied.
e.g., a children’s book
• An entire work • A librarian may make up to three • Copies must contain copyright
Printed Material
copies “solely for the purpose of information.
• Portions of a work
(archives)
replacement of a copy that is damaged, • Archiving rights are designed to allow
• A work in which the existing format
deteriorating, lost, or stolen.” libraries to share with other libraries
has become obsolete, e.g., a document
one-of-a-kind and out-of-print books.
stored on a Wang computer
• Photograph • Single works may be used in their entirety, • Although older illustrations may be in
Illustrations
but no more than five images by a single the public domain and don’t need permis-
• Illustration
and Photographs artist or photographer may be used. sion to be used, sometimes they’re part
• Collections of photographs
of a copyright collection. Copyright
• From a collection, not more than 15
• Collections of illustrations
ownership information is available at
images or 10 percent (whichever is
www.loc.gov or www.mpa.org.
less) may be used.
• Videotapes (purchased) • Teachers may use these materials in • The material must be legitimately
Video
the classroom. acquired.
• Videotapes (rented)
(for viewing)
• Copies may be made for archival • Material must be used in a classroom
• DVDs
purposes or to replace lost, damaged, or nonprofit environment “dedicated
• Laserdiscs
or stolen copies. to face-to-face instruction.”
• Use should be instructional, not for
entertainment or reward.
• Copying OK only if replacements are

2. unavailable at a fair price or in a viable
format.
• Videotapes • Students “may use portions of lawfully • The material must be legitimately
Video
acquired copyright works in their acquired (a legal copy, not bootleg or
• DVDs
(for integration into
academic multimedia,” defined as 10 home recording).
• Laserdiscs
multimedia or video
percent or three minutes (whichever • Copyright works included in multimedia
projects) • Multimedia encyclopedias
is less) of “motion media.” projects must give proper attribution
• QuickTime Movies
to copyright holder.
• Video clips from the Internet
• Records • Up to 10 percent of a copyright musical • A maximum of 30 seconds per musical
Music
composition may be reproduced, composition may be used.
• Cassette tapes
(for integration into
performed, and displayed as part of a • Multimedia program must have an
• CDs
multimedia or video
multimedia program produced by an educational purpose.
• Audio clips on the Web
projects)
educator or students.
• Software (purchased) • Library may lend software to patrons. • Only one machine at a time may use
Computer Software
the program.
• Software (licensed) • Software may be installed on multiple
machines, and distributed to users via • The number of simultaneous users must
a network. not exceed the number of licenses; and
the number of machines being used
• Software may be installed at home and
must never exceed the number licensed.
at school.
A network license may be required for
• Libraries may make copies for archival
multiple users.
use or to replace lost, damaged, or
• Take aggressive action to monitor that
stolen copies if software is unavailable
copying is not taking place (unless for
at a fair price or in a viable format.
archival purposes).
• Internet connections • Images may be downloaded for • Resources from the Web may not be
Internet
student projects and teacher lessons. reposted onto the Internet without
• World Wide Web
permission. However, links to legitimate
• Sound files and video may be down-
resources can be posted.
loaded for use in multimedia projects
(see portion restrictions above). • Any resources you download must have
been legitimately acquired by theWeb site.
• Broadcast (e.g., ABC, NBC, CBS, • Broadcasts or tapes made from broad- • Schools are allowed to retain broadcast
Television
UPN, PBS, and local stations) cast may be used for instruction. tapes for a minimum of 10 school days.
(Enlightened rights holders,such asPBS’s
• Cable (e.g., CNN, MTV, HBO) • Cable channel programs may be used
ReadingRainbow, allow for much more.)
with permission. Many programs may
• Videotapes made of broadcast and
be retained by teachers for years— • Cable programs are technically not
cable TV programs
see Cable in the Classroom covered by the same guidelines as
(www.ciconline.org) for details. broadcast television.
many of the above guidelines wrote a letter to Congress dated March 19,1976,stating:
Sources: United States Copyright Office Circular 21; Sections 107, 108, and Multimedia; cable systems (and their associations); and Copyright Policy and
“There may be instances in which copying that does not fall within the guidelines
110 of the Copyright Act (1976) and subsequent amendments, including the Guidelines for California’s School Districts, California Department of Education.
stated [above] may nonetheless be permitted under the criterion of fair use.”
Digital Millennium Copyright Act; Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Note: Representatives of the institutions and associations who helped to draw up