Educational Use

Users of Northern Illinois University Digital Library (NIUDL) are free to reproduce materials from any collection for use in teaching, research, or private study. Proper attribution to Northern Illinois University Libraries as the source of the materials is requested and a matter of good scholarly practice. The researcher assumes responsibility for possible infringement of copyright and/or literary property rights in the act of copying or in the subsequent use of materials.

Commercial Use

Users must contact us for permission to reproduce materials from any collection for print or electronic publication, exhibition, broadcast, licensing, or other commercial use. In such cases, high resolution reproductions may be available, typically for a fee. When requesting permission, please be prepared to refer specifically to the information you intend to use and provide details regarding your planned use.

United States Copyright Law and Fair Use

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The goal of this law is to foster the progress of science, the creation of culture, and the dissemination of ideas. To that end, it grants some limited rights to use copyrighted material without permission or payment, known as "fair use." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a reproduction from NIUDL for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. NIUDL also reserves the right to refuse to accept a reproduction or digitization request if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the request would involve a violation of copyright law.

However, many of the resources available in NIUDL are either in the public domain or their copyright is retained by NIU. All materials are accompanied by a rights statement indicating the copyright status of the item when known. NIUDL makes no express or implied warranty to others who wish to use or reproduce materials found in its collections.

Users may wish to refer to the Fair Use Checklist, developed by Kenneth D. Crews and Dwayne K. Buttler, when making their fair use determinations.