The following suggestions are direclty from the United States Copyright Office Circular 12: "Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians" and apply to lawfully obtained print books and periodicals being used in non-commercial educational uses only. We have listed some key points below, but encourage Instructors to read the document in its entirety.
Limitations mentioned below are the minimum, not necessarily the maximum, suggested for fair use for lawfully obtained copyrighted works being used in non-commercial educational uses only.
Single Copying for Teachers
Single copies may be made of any of the following by or for teachers at their individual request for scholarly research or use in teaching or preparation to teach a class:
One chapter from a book;
An article from a periodical, journal or newspaper;
A short story, short essay or short poem, whether or not from a collective work;
A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture from a book, periodical or newspaper.
Multiple Copies For In Classroom Use
Multiple copies (not to exceed more than one copy per student in a course) may be made by or for the teacher giving the course for student learning use or discussion, provided that the following three criteria are met:
The copying meets the tests of brevity and spontaneity.
The copying meets the cumulative effect test.
Each copy includes a notice of copyright.
Definitions & Limitations:
Brevity:
*Poetry: (a) A complete poem if less than 250 words and if printed on not more than two pages or, (b) from a longer poem, an excerpt of not more than 250 words.
*Prose: (a) Either a complete article, story or essay of less than 2,500 words, or (b) an excerpt from any prose work of not more than 1,000 words or 10% of the work, whichever is less, but in any event a minimum of 500 words.
*Instructors can expand on the numerical limits mentioned above for Poetry and Prose if they need to finish a line of poetry or a paragraph of prose.
Illustration: One chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture per book or per periodical issue.
“Special” works: Certain works in poetry, prose or in “poetic prose” which often combine language with illustrations and which are intended sometimes for children and at other times for a more general audience fall short of 2,500 words in their entirety. Paragraph “ii” above notwithstanding such “special works” may not be reproduced in their entirety; however, an excerpt comprising not more than two of the published pages of such special work and containing not more than ten percent of the words found in the text thereof, may be reproduced.
Spontaneity:
The copying is at the instance and inspiration of the individual teacher.
The inspiration and decision to use the work and the moment of its use for maximum teaching effectiveness are so close in time that it would be unreasonable to expect a timely reply to a request for permission.
Cumulative Effect:
Copying is for only one course in the school in which the copies are made.
No more than one short poem, article, story, essay, or two excerpts may be copied from the same author, nor more than three from the same collective work or periodical volume during one course term.
No more than nine instances of such multiple copying for one course during one class term.
Prohibitions-- Copying of materials cannot:
Create, replace or substitute for anthologies, compilations or collective works.
Be made for "Consumable" materials, such as workbooks, exercises, standard tests and test books to name a few.
Substitute for purchasing books, publishers' reprints or periodicals.
Be directed by higher authority.
Be repeated with the same item, by the same teacher term by term.
Have a fee associated with copying item beyond actual cost of the photocopying.