LibGuides: Online Learning Resource Center: Fair Use

What is Fair Use

Reproduction of any copyrighted material must fall within the limits set under the “Fair Use” guidelines. “Fair Use” allows for a portion of a work to be used without permission from the author for purposes of teaching, research, news reporting, scholarship, and/or criticism. According to Title 17 of the U.S. code, “Fair Use” is determined based on:

The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for non-profit educational purposes.
The nature of the copyrighted work.
The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use

U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Index

Fair Use (FAQ) | U.S. Copyright Office

Frequently published guidelines regarding fair use set the limits as follows:

Media Type	Portion Covered under Fair Use
Video	10% or 3 minutes, whichever is shorter
Print	10% or 1000 words, whichever is shorter this does not allow for the copying of an entire chapter of a work if it falls within these guidelines
Music	10% or 30 seconds, whichever is shorter
Illustrations, Photos, And Graphics	5 images from on artist/photographer, or 10% or 15 images from a published work, whichever is shorter
Databases	10% or 2500 fields, whichever is shorter