The following tools are provided to help librarians and others learn about copyright.
The Copyright Genie
OK, so the Copyright Genie can't grant copyright wishes, but it can take the magic out of copyright by:
- Helping you find out if a work is covered by U.S. copyright
- Calculating its terms of protection, and
- Collecting and publishing the results (as a PDF) to save for your records or further vet with a copyright specialist.
Fair Use Evaluator
This tool is designed to help you better understand how to determine the "fairness" of a use under the U.S. Copyright Code. The tool will help you collect, organize & archive the information you might need to support a fair use evaluation by providing you with a time-stamped, PDF document for your records, which could prove valuable, should you ever be asked by a copyright holder to provide your fair use evaluation and the data you used to support it.
Section 108 Spinner
Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Code allows libraries and archives, under certain circumstances, to make reproductions of copyrighted materials without the permission of the copyright holder. This simple tool can
- help you determine if your reproduction is covered by Section 108 and
- collect information to support your use of the exception.
Exceptions for Instructors eTool
The U.S. Copyright Code provides for the educational use of copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright holder under certain conditions. Use this free online tool to find out if your intended use meets the requirements set out in the law. This tool can also help you collect information detailing your educational use and provide you with a summary in PDF format.