Published statements and guidelines
Published Statements
Official statements written or endorsed by the Music Library Association
- Legal Impediments to Preservation of and Access to the Audio Heritage of the United States
- Statement on the Copyright Law and Fair Use in Music
- Statement on the Digital Transmission of Electronic Reserves
- Fair Use in the Electronic Age: Serving the Public Interest
Guidelines
Several guidelines have been published to help navigate the often murky waters of copyright, and especially fair use. Though they can be helpful, it must be remembered that they are just guidelines—they have no force of law and may not carry any weight in a courtroom. Moreover, guidelines can often be a double edged sword: while many guidelines are published with the aim of stating minimums, they are sometimes reinterpreted as maximums by one party or the other.
Guidelines endorsed by the Music Library Association
- Agreement on Guidelines for Classroom Copying in Not-For-Profit Educational Institutions with Respect to Books and Periodicals
- Library Reserve Guidelines
- Guidelines for Off-Air Recordings of Broadcast Programming for Educational Purposes
Relevant guidelines not endorsed by the Music Library Association