The week of February 22nd is Fair Use Week 2016 , a community celebration coordinated by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to promote and discuss the importance of fair use doctrines. Fair use in the United States is tied to copyright laws and the accompanying exceptions that allow the use of copyrighted materials without permission. The principle of fair use creates a balance between honoring intellectual property rights and accommodating the flexible needs of academic settings and emerging technologies. While students, faculty, librarians, and community members may encounter questions related to use on a daily basis, this week exists to highlight issues, queries, and successes linked to using material fairly.

Temple University Libraries is joining in the conversation this week through screening a special webcast—The Fair Use Factors: Their History and Application. The program is presented by the Association of College & Research Libraries, and our local, live viewing takes place Thursday, February 25 at 2:00 PM in the Tech Center, Conference Room 111. We invite you to join us!

We’ve also compiled a list of resources from expert librarians and library staff for learning more about fair use. Check out the links below!

• Temple University Libraries, Research Guides, Fair Use: http://guides.temple.edu/c.php?g=348649&p=2351948
  The tab for fair use contains a number of good resources for learning about and applying the guidelines for these principles.
• The Fair Use Evaluator: http://librarycopyright.net/resources/fairuse/
  a good resource for faculty

—from Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian for Research & Instructional Services

• The Copyright Advisory Network: http://librarycopyright.net/
  The American Library Association’s Office of Information Technology and Policy (OITP) interactive tools are clear and straightforward, offering answers about fair use, the public domain, as well as special exemptions in the law that cover the educational realm and copyright.

—from Brian Boling, Media Services Librarian

• The Center for Media and Social Impact (CMSI) at American University: http://www.cmsimpact.org/fair-use
  My favorite resource for learning about fair use is the Center for Media and Social Impact (CMSI) at American University. Their website includes really useful information on best practices for documentary film, journalism, visual arts, and more. If you’re looking for real-world examples, check out their ‘Fair Use Question of the Month’ feature. Finally, CMSI has a great YouTube channel that includes over 100 videos about fair use. (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAJ4l504OhilJSNKaj2GqVHK3r3_aYQ4z).

—from Annie Johnson, Library Publishing and Scholarly Communications Specialist

• Copyright & Fair Use, Stanford University Libraries: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/
  The go-to resource at the Press regarding fair use

—from Mary Rose Muccie, Executive Director/Scholarly Communications Officer, Temple University Press