Pursuing Fair Use, Law Libraries, and Electronic Reserves

Steven J. Melamut, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Law Library

Abstract

Revised version of winning paper in 1999 Student Division competition.

Within the last few years, libraries have begun to introduce electronic reserve services. Whether the materials are in a formal electronic reserve collection or mounted on faculty home pages, the same legal concerns exist. Mr. Melamut examines the advantages and disadvantages of electronic reserves, and discusses their copyright implications. He examines prior cases about coursepacks and considers their likely influence on possible reserve room litigation. He also discusses reserve room policies, as well as where the law in this area is likely to move and what response is necessary by law libraries.