Celebrating Fair Dealing Week 2025 at the University of Guelph 

Fair Dealing Week is a special time to recognize the importance of fair dealing in Canada. This year, it takes place from February 24 to 28, 2025. Fair dealing helps balance the rights of copyright holders with the needs of users, making it crucial for education and research.  “Fair dealing is vitally important to creativity, innovation, and scholarship – and enables access to essential educational resources,” said Heather Martin, university copyright officer.  

What is Fair Dealing?  

Fair dealing is a part of Canadian copyright law that allows people to use copyrighted materials without permission for certain purposes. These include research, private study, education, parody, satire, criticism, review, and news reporting. In the realm of higher education, it helps students, instructors, and researchers access and use copyrighted works to support teaching, learning and research innovation.

Why is Fair Dealing Important?  

• Access to Knowledge: Fair dealing allows students and researchers to use a variety of sources, which is essential for learning and advancing knowledge.  
• Supports Education: Instructors can use copyrighted materials in their lessons, making education more engaging and effective, adding to U of G’s distinctive student experience.  
• Encourages Creativity: Fair dealing supports the creation of new works by allowing the use of existing ones for purposes like research, education, parody, satire, criticism, review, and news reporting.  
• Balances Rights: It ensures that copyright law doesn't overly restrict the sharing of information and ideas, which is important for a dynamic society. 

How to Celebrate Fair Dealing Week 2025  

The library encourages everyone to join in the celebrations. Here are some ways you can participate:  

Attend Virtual Events

Join online webinars and discussions about the impact of fair dealing on education and research.  

Explore Resources 

• Visit the Fair Dealing website to learn more about fair dealing in Canada.  
• Access U of G’s copyright resources to find out what it means with a U of G lens:  
  • Learn about the U of G’s Fair Dealing Policy which outlines the ways fair dealing can be used when making and distributing copies for teaching and learning purposes.
  • Evaluate whether your use of a work is fair dealing when using copyrighted works outside the classroom.
  • Learn about copyright basics and how they apply to you, no matter your role at U of G. We have FAQs for instructors, students, researchers, authors and creators.

Engage on Social Media to Raise Awareness

• Share your experiences with fair dealing using the hashtags #FairDealingWeek and #FDWorks. Connect and tag the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the U of G Library on social.
• Educate others about the importance of fair dealing by sharing articles, infographics and more.  

Fair Dealing Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the benefits of fair dealing. Let's make it a memorable event for our academic community!

Questions?  

Contact us. We’re happy to help.

License