> The American Library Association addresses the VHS to DVD question in a FAQ on their website.
An answer in which they cite no statutes or cases for the notion that converting VHS to DVD isn't fair use.
There is a difference between "we're recommending that you not do something that might cause you to have to establish a precedent in court" and "here's the citation to the court case where this was decided." It's only the second one that tells you the answer instead of some risk-averse institution's opinion.
Copying something in its entirety is not Fair Use. One of the requirements of Fair Use is that you copy as little as required for your purpose.
For example, copying a line or two from a book for use in a book review or citation is Fair Use. Copying entire paragraphs or even the entire book is not Fair Use.
>How much of someone else's work can I use without getting permission?
>Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports. There are no legal rules permitting the use of a specific number of words, a certain number of musical notes, or percentage of a work. Whether a particular use qualifies as fair use depends on all the circumstances. See, Fair Use Index, and Circular 21, Reproductions of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians.
An answer in which they cite no statutes or cases for the notion that converting VHS to DVD isn't fair use.
There is a difference between "we're recommending that you not do something that might cause you to have to establish a precedent in court" and "here's the citation to the court case where this was decided." It's only the second one that tells you the answer instead of some risk-averse institution's opinion.