Re: copyright changes

I am an attorney and author finishing a book on copyright permissions. Regarding the issue of library notices on copiers:

Under fair use guidelines, libraries and nonprofit archives must prominently display the notice indicated below in a place where photocopies are made or ordered. When copies are requested, the warning must be printed within a box located prominently on the order form, either on the front side of the form or immediately adjacent to the space for the name and signature of the user.

While these fair use guidelines are not part of the federal Copyright Act, they do establish minimum standards for fair use in education and many judges look to them when making related fair use determinations. A librarian following the guidelines can generally feel comfortable that a use falling within these guidelines is a permissible fair use and not an infringement.

NOTICE WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. end notice

Rich Stim, San Francisco
415 681-4907
<rwstim[_at_]aol.com> Received on Mon Jun 07 1999 - 17:20:03 GMT