The University of Alabama Libraries provide access to printer / copier machines (all branches), 3D printers (Rodgers, Gorgas, Bruno, McLure), scanners (all branches), and equipment for playing and converting audiovisual materials in various formats (Sanford Media Center; Alabama Digital Humanities Center; Music Library). Title 17 of the U.S. Code governs the making of copies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether their usage of the equipment falls within the guidelines of Fair Use and/or complies with all applicable intellectual property laws and University policies.
Please note: the University of Alabama Libraries cannot provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.
U.S. Copyright law (Title 17 of the U.S. Code) allows you to make certain uses of copyrighted works without the need to obtain permission from the copyright owner. One of the most useful ways the law does this is through the doctrine of fair use (17 USC §107). If your use is considered a fair use, then you have not violated the owner’s copyright. Determining whether your use is a fair use involves consideration of four factors described in the copyright law:
You must consider all of these factors when making a fair use determination. The factors often interact, and the circumstances of your use will be highly relevant in the analysis, so it is not simply a matter of making sure three factors weigh in your favor while one does not. To get a better idea of how courts decide fair use cases, please see the summaries provided by Stanford University: https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/cases/. If you determine that your intended use is not a fair use, then you have a couple of options. First, you could alter your use so that it would be considered fair; this might entail using less of the copyrighted work or making your use more transformative, for example. Second, you can try to obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Please note: the University of Alabama Libraries cannot provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.
Please note: the University of Alabama Libraries cannot provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please consult an attorney.