The 1976 general revision of the United States copyright law (Public Law 94-553) sets limits on what copyrighted materials may be copied, under what conditions, and for what purposes. This handbook presents some highlights of the new law that are of particular interest to teachers and librarians and responds to questions that teachers and librarians have raised about it. The book examines the background and meaning of the new law; describes the "fair use" provision that permits teachers, librarians, researchers, scholars, and others to use copyrighted works without paying the copyright holder; provides guidelines for classroom copying of copyrighted materials; tells how the law applies to uses of educational media and technology, including off-the-air taping of television and radio programs; discusses library copying; and explains the provision that protects a teacher or librarian who has innocently infringed copyrighted material. Two appendixes deal with school rerecording of public and instructional television programs and interlibrary arrangements for photocopying. (GW)