However, some use may not be permitted by law and may require payment to the creator or holder of the copyright on that idea or material. Federal statutes governs the reproduction of intellectual property in any medium or format. One of the most important things to be considered before using the work of someone else in research, art, or education is the item's copyright status. In general, works traditionally thought of as being covered by copyright laws include books, photographs, music, dramatic works, audio- and videocassettes, and sculpture, but software, multimedia, and databases are also covered. Copyrighted works are not limited to those that bear a copyright notice.
Fair use is vague and depends entirely on the particular facts of individual situations.
The last of these is the most critical. The best guide is to treat the copyright of others as you would like yours to be treated and to purchase multiple copies, if multiple copies are required for the intended use. Alternately, a user who wishes to make multiple copies of all or a portion of a copyrighted work should request permission from the author or copyright holder explaining the material to be used, the use, the number of copies to be made and the format of sharing, and whether the copied material will be sold. The US Copyright Office also has a circular available on fair use guidelines for librarians and educators. Users of online information must adhere to the same copyright laws that affect users of print, audio, and video resources.