legal matters
University of Minnesota Libraries -- Copyright Initiatives
To create a balance between the interests of those who develop intellectual and creative works and those who benefit from accessing and using those works, copyright law includes exemptions that limit the exclusive rights of copyright holders. One such exemption is fair use, which allows users of copyrighted works to exercise some rights under certain circumstances without seeking permission or paying royalties. The Fair Use Doctrine is probably the most important exemption to copyright protections for educational settings, allowing many uses of copyrighted works for the purposes of teaching and research.