Under the Copyright Act of 1976, "fair use" exemption places a limit on the exclusive rights of copyright owners to promote free speech, learning, scholarly research and open discussion. The Consortium of College and University Media Centers (CCUMC) convened a diverse group of interested parties to draft guidelines which would provide…

Discusses the Copyright Act, four factors that courts must consider in determining permission by the "fair use" doctrine, and the educational exemption for using copyrighted software. Suggests that the best strategy in determining fair use is to contact the publisher, as well as requesting guidelines from the United States Copyright Office. (AEF)