Copyright: Copyright in the Classroom

The use of any copyrighted materials in course packets requires permission from the copyright holder unless the material falls under the definition of "Fair Use" or is in the public domain. Remember to seek permission from the owner.

Course Reserve services are available for specific materials to be made available to students. This may be in the form of books, articles and DVDs etc. To search for Course Reserves, go to the Lee College Library homepage and click on Course Reserves at the top of the page. If accessing off campus, you will be asked to sign in.

Course Reserve services are available for specific materials to be made available to students. This may be in the form of books, articles and DVDs etc. Are you a Lee College faculty member who wishes to put course materials on reserve? Submit your requests for chapters of books and journal articles by completing a  Reserve Request Form or bring your personal copy to the library Circulation desk.

Single Copies for Research or Teaching.

A single copy may be made of any of the following at the individual request of any teacher or scholar for use in research or teaching:

1. A chapter from a book.

2. An article from a periodical or newspaper.

3. A short story, short essay, or short poem.

4. A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture from a book, periodical or newspaper.

Multiple Copies For Classroom Use.

Multiple copies (not exceeding 1 copy per pupil) may be made by or for a teacher giving a course for classroom use, or discussion, provided that all the following requirements are met:

1. The copying is brief. In this context, brief means:

• poetry: a complete poem if less than 250 words and printed on not more than two pages, or an excerpt from a longer poem of not more than 250 words.
• prose: a complete article, story or essay of less than 2500 words, or an excerpt from a longer prose work of not more than 1000 words or 10% of the work, whichever is less.
• illustration: one chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture per book or per periodical issue.

2.  The copying is spontaneous.

• It is at the instance and inspiration of an individual teacher, and
• The decision to use the work and the time for its use for effective teaching are so close that it would be unreasonable to expect a timely reply to a request for permission.

3.  The copying does not have an improper cumulative effect. In order for copying not to have an improper cumulative effect:

• the copying of the material must be for only one course.
• not more than one short poem, article, story, essay or two excerpts may be copied from the same author or more than three from the same collective work or periodical volume during one class term.
• there must not be more than 9 instances of such multiple copying for one course in one class term.  (The limitations in “2” and “3” above do not apply to current news periodicals and newspapers or current news sections of other periodicals.)

4.  The copying does not violate any of the following general prohibitions:

• Copying shall not be used to create, replace or substitute for anthologies, compilations, or collective works.
• There shall be no copying from workbooks, exercises, standardized tests and test booklet answer sheets, or any similar materials intended to be “consumed” in the course of study or teaching.
• Copying shall not substitute for the purchase of books, publisher’s reprints or periodicals.
• Copying shall not be directed by anyone other than the teacher of the class.
• Copying shall not be repeated in more than one semester with respect to the same item by the same teacher.
• No charge shall be made to the student beyond the actual cost of photocopying.

5.  All materials copied under these provisions shall bear a notice of copyright on the first page.  This notice should be in the following form: (c) year of copyright, name of copyright owner.

17 U.S. Code § 110 Limitations on exclusive rights: Exemption of certain performances and displays

permits the performance or display of legally licensed/purchased works, for strictly and directly pedagogical purposes relevant to the course, in face-to-face classes at nonprofit educational institutions