Copyright and access restrictions

The digital collections in Worthington Memory are maintained by Worthington Libraries, however the Library does not own rights to these materials. Worthington Libraries cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in these collections.

Some items may be protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Reproduction and redistribution of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission of the copyright owner. You assume all liability for copyright infringement and must make your own assessment of rights in light of the intended use.

What is "fair use"?

Fair use is an exception to the exclusive protection of copyright under U.S. law. The fair use provision allows limited use of copyrighted materials under certain conditions such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research.

The following factors must be considered in determining whether a specific use falls under fair use:

  • the purpose and character of the use (e.g., commercial vs. not-for-profit educational purposes)
  • the nature of the copyrighted work
  • the amount and substantiality of the work being used
  • the effect of the use on the potential market for and value of the original

Resources for determining fair use