Fair-use and other free-use limitations and exceptions in national copyright laws maintain a balance between the individual interests of creators of works and other copyright holders, and the public interest in fostering a culturally productive exchange of information and ideas. The status of fair use and free use has come into question in recent years, in part by the rapid pace of technological change, which has led to laws favoring new modes of information management. This article discusses fair-use and other copyright limitations and exceptions in an international context and their origins in international conventions, treaties, and agreements. It then offers a comparative analysis of the limitations and exceptions found in the current copyright laws of the twelve nations comprising the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), highlighting the range of limitations and exceptions found in the CIS statutes and the differences among the laws of those nations. In the current climate of change in global copyright legislation, this article provides broad perspective in an area that is of increasing relevance to the aims of academic and research libraries internationally.

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