- Public Domain Slider
- Section 108 Spinner
- Fair Use Evaluator
- Exceptions for Instructors eTool
- Copyright Genie
- Technology and tool modification
Over the past several years, Michael Brewer and the Copyright Advisory Subcommittee
- Public Domain Slider
- Section 108 Spinner
- Fair Use Evaluator
- Exceptions for Instructors eTool
- Copyright Genie
- Technology and tool modification
Over the past several years, Michael Brewer and the Copyright Advisory Subcommittee of the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy have been developing tools to educate librarians, educators and others about copyright. These now include the Public Domain slider, the Section 108 Spinner, the Fair Use Evaluator, and the Exceptions for Instructors eTool. These tools are all available online for anyone to use or link to.
Using these educational tools can help educators and others become more comfortable utilizing the limitations and exceptions to the exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder under U.S. Copyright law. By exercising these valuable exceptions, we strengthen copyright’s primary purpose–“to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (U. S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8).
Currently, many smaller institutions may feel they do not have the personnel or expertise to manage their institution’s use of copyrighted material in 