This paper presents a guide to fair use, particularly use of new media in the classroom. It begins with a brief overview of the fair use doctrine and then presents guidelines for copying of printed materials, use of videotaped materials, and the use of multimedia (the last summarized from the Consortium of College and University Media Center's…

The introduction of techniques for digitizing photographic images, as well as the subsequent development of powerful image-editing software, has both broadened the possibilities of altering photographs and brought the means for doing so within the reach of many. This article is an informal review of the ways image-editing software can be used to…

Noting a recent increase in the number of cases of computer crime and computer piracy, this paper takes up the question, "How can understanding the social context of computing help us--as parents, educators, and members of government and industry--to educate young people to become morally responsible members of an electronic information…

Because the computer industry's expansion has been much faster than has the development of laws protecting computer software and since the practice of software piracy seems to be alive and well, the issue of whether existing laws can provide effective protection for software needs further discussion. Three bodies of law have been used to protect…

Discussion of the effects of copyright on microcomputer software highlights the nature of copyright and situations in which the copying of copyrighted software may be permitted. Rights that a purchaser should insist upon when contracting for computer equipment are noted, i.e., right to test hardware and software prior to purchase. (EJS)

Presents overview of special considerations in developing microcomputer software collections, review of standardized cataloging practices, and discussion of problems of selection and acquisition of software. Policies governing loan procedures for microcomputer software which involve four types of copy protection (patent, trade secret, contract,…

Computer software, which often takes years to produce, is currently being copied and used illegally in school settings. This violation of the law has many repercussions within the academic community. In this discussion, several court cases dealing with this situation are emphasized. It is also noted that the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment…

This study examines the relationship between societal forces and school computer use in the context of two issues surrounding computer technology: computer property and computer privacy. Four types of data were collected from district administrators, principals, computer teachers, and students over a 9-month period in a high school with a broad,…

The purpose of this study was to determine the nature and extent of unauthorized copying of microcomputer software by university students. The sample consisted of 392 university students ranging in age from 18 to 35. A survey instrument administered to all students contained 20 Likert-type questions designed to gather data on students' behavior,…

These five papers by speakers at the Small Computers in Libraries 1987 conference include: "Acquiring and Using Shareware in Building Small Scale Automated Information systems" (Samuels); "A Software Lending Collection" (Talab); "Providing Subject Access to Microcomputer Software" (Mitchell); "Interfacing Vendor…

This paper presents European perspectives on the future of copyright management. The first section is an overview of intellectual property rights in Europe, including differences between copyright countries and "droit d'auteur" countries. The second section addresses European Community legal policy, including examples related to the…

Reports results of a survey of 293 colleges and universities that reveals a growing trend toward making computer software and hardware available to faculty and students, despite potential illicit copying software. The role of the academic library and copyright implications are discussed. Twenty-three references are cited. (EJS)

A series of changes in intellectual property law over the last 30 years has made it more difficult for researchers, scientists, authors, and artists to cooperate and collaborate on critically important projects. At the same time, the advance of communications technologies, specifically the Internet, promises to foster an explosion in creativity,…

The amount of knowledge that site and central office administrators possess about the ethical use of computer software in schools is assessed in this report. Specific questions addressed included the existence of related policies, administrators' knowledge of policies, and degree of site compliance. Four district and 10 site administrators were…

Unauthorized copying and use of computer software, currently protected by the Copyright Act of 1976 (U.S.C. 117), is believed to occur in public schools and on university and college campuses by administrators, teachers, and students. The study described in this paper was undertaken to ascertain the nature, scope, and extent of unauthorized…