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Access Copyright and Digital Materials

The college license with Access Copyright (formerly known as CanCopy) a non-profit organization that represents authors and publishers does not extend to reproducing works in an electronic format. For example, the Access Copyright license may allow you to photocopy a journal article to give to your students but it does not allow you to scan that article to post on a course or personal website. You need to obtain additional permission to do this.

Converting Print or Audiovisual Materials to Digital Format

Digitize if:
The work is in public domain, or if you are using an insubstantial part of the work. In the case of print materials, an insubstantial quotation (no more than a few sentences) will probably require only proper attribution and full citation.

You need permission to digitize if:
You want to scan, copy or upload an entire work, or a substantial part of a work. Some examples of an entire work include a newspaper, magazine, or journal article, a graph, chart, diagram, photograph, logo or an illustration to name a few.

It is recommended that instructors err on the side of caution, and seek permission to digitize any audio or audiovisual content.

Remember also, that even if permission to digitize content has been granted, the source of your content should be credited.

Digital Materials Accompanying Textbooks

CDs which accompany textbooks may be used freely for the purposes the publisher intended. Uses will vary from publisher to publisher. The permissibility of putting commercial publisher-created content up on a website will depend on a number of conditions. If the content is designed for such use; for example, on a Blackboard or WebCT course site, then the publisher may have already explicitly granted permission. If permission is not granted upfront by the publisher, contacting the publisher prior to putting such content on a course site is a must.

Click here for tips on obtaining permissions.

Images

The college's agreement with Access Copyright does not extend to reproducing and/or manipulating works in an electronic format.

Digitize if:

• The image is your own creation such as a photograph or a drawing.
• As the creator of the work you are automatically the copyright owner and may use the image as you please.
• The image is in public domain; for example, a "stop" sign or the "Mona Lisa."

• The image you want to use is from a printed source (and not in public domain) such as a book or magazine.
• The image is an original photograph.
• Obtaining digital permission to use a photograph could cost hundreds of dollars. It is often easier and cheaper to create your own images, or to use freely available images in the public domain.
• You found the image on the internet.
• Much content on the internet is already infringing copyright and the fact that someone else has used an image (with or without permission) does not mean that you may also. However, you may use free clip art.

Linking to Websites

Often the best option is to provide links to web content rather than post the content on Blackboard. Web etiquette suggests identifying the source of deep linked articles, possibly by providing a link to the mainpage of a site.

Protecting Your Own Content

When you create intellectual content and put it up on a website with open Internet access, you cannot control who has access this content nor what someone else will do with it. You can protect yourself somewhat by indicating that you were the creator of the material, that reproduction is or is not allowed, that linking to your site is encouraged or discouraged, with or without consulting you first, and requiring acknowledgement, or not, etc.

Using Material Found on the Internet

Content on any website is copyrightable. Even if no formal copyright notice appears on a site, copyright applies. Hence, as with content taken from a source in any other format, acknowledge your source and where appropriate, ask for permission to use the content.

Do not modify or adapt material found on the web without permission from the copyright holder, unless otherwise specified on the site.

Do not use third-party content found on another website (i.e. content developed by an author other than the website owner) without permission to do so. If the website owner has obtained permission to use this copyrighted content, that permission does not extend automatically to you. You will need to seek your own permission to use this same content, by contacting the copyright holder directly.

Click here for public domain content on the web.