Save the date! The annual Fair Use Week, a celebration of the important doctrines of fair use and fair dealing, will take place from February 22-26, 2016.
What is Fair Use Week?
Each day teachers teach, students learn, researchers advance knowledge, and consumers access copyrighted information due to copyright limitations and exceptions such as fair use or fair dealing. Fair use and fair dealing are essential limitations and exceptions to copyright, allowing the use of copyrighted materials without permission from the copyright holder under certain circumstances. Fair use and fair dealing are flexible doctrines, allowing copyright to adapt to new technologies. These doctrines facilitate balance in copyright law, promoting further progress and accommodating freedom of speech and expression.
While fair use and fair dealing are employed on a daily basis by all users of copyrighted material, Fair Use Week is a time to promote and discuss the opportunities presented, celebrate successful stories and explain the doctrine.
While Fair Use Week 2016 will be celebrated February 22–26, we believe that every week is fair use week. Fair Use Week is simply a time to promote and discuss the opportunities presented by fair use and fair dealing, celebrate successful stories, and explain the doctrine.
When is Fair Use Week?
Fair Use Week 2015 will take place from Monday, February 22, through Friday, February 26. People can participate on a single day during the week, multiple days, or the full week.
How can I participate in Fair Use Week?
The level of participation in Fair Use Week is entirely up to each participant. Some will publish a blog post on fair use on one day during the week, while others might host events each day of the week. Last year, 64 organizations and institutions participated, resulting in the release of more than 90 blog posts, 13 videos, 2 podcasts, and a number of panels and lectures. Take a look at the highlights from Fair Use Week 2015 for ideas on how participants highlighted fair use and fair dealing last year. Many great resources were created including Myths and Facts on Fair Use, A Day In the Life of a Legislative Assistant, podcasts, a comic book and a great Fair Use Fundamentals infographic.
To participate in Fair Use Week 2016 you can try some of the following ideas or come up with entirely new ideas:
- Write a blog post on fair use or fair dealing.
- Publish an op-ed.
- Host a live panel on fair use at your campus, institution, or organization.
- Host a webcast or webinar.
- Create a video about fair uses.
- Publicize fair use on social media using the hashtag #fairuseweek2016.
(On Twitter, you can also follow and tag @fairuseweek.)
- Submit fair use success stories for the Fair Use Week blog on Tumblr.
We hope you will consider participating in Fair Use Week 2016!