Difference between revisions of "Fair Use of Copyrighted Material"

Latest revision as of 19:26, 28 April 2013

Any copyrighted information provided here is done so under the "fair use rule."

This rule recognizes that society can often benefit from the unauthorized use of copyrighted materials when the purpose of the use serves the ends of scholarship, education, or an informed public. For example, scholars must be free to quote from their research resources in order to comment on the material. To strike a balance between the needs of a public to be well-informed and the rights of copyright owners to profit from their creativity, Congress passed a law authorizing the use of copyrighted materials in certain circumstances deemed to be "fair" -- even if the copyright owner doesn't give permission.

As a general rule, if you are using a small portion of somebody else's work in a non-competitive way and the purpose for your use is to benefit the public, you're on pretty safe ground. On the other hand, if you take large portions of someone else's expression for your own purely commercial reasons, the rule usually won't apply.

It is our opinion the information provided here is for the benefit of the general public as the source materials are long out of print and becoming increasingly difficult for the public at large to reference. Only small portions of the greater works are furnished; and we derive no commercial benefit from this service to our members. Additionally, the copyright holder, through its past actions has demonstrated no interest in reprinting or making available in any other form this information.

Members are cautioned not to use any copyrighted information for any commerical reason and that we will not provide entire copyrighted works