Copyright for Online Class Material
Material on the internet follows the same rules of copyright as material found in a book or on a DVD. It is necessary to apply the limits of fair dealing when copying and distributing online material. If the copy does not qualify as fair dealing, it is necessary to obtain permission from the copyright owner.
There are two different perspectives to consider when providing online access to material for your class:
- First, while it is possible to restrict access to material that you place on a website for students enrolled in a class, it may be in your best interest to inform students that the materials, whether yours or another’s, are to be used for their benefit only and not to be redistributed. Although work created and published on the site is protected under the terms of the Copyright Act, it is also possible to register work with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. The registration certificate states that you are the copyright owner; the onus is then on a challenger to prove otherwise.
- Second, materials placed on the site follow much the same copyright guidelines as published print material. In order to place text or audio/visual material that is not your own on a website, the amount you copy must be fair, or permission must be obtained from the rights holder.
There are alternatives to publishing content directly to a web site or to Blackboard. For example, when linking to journal articles through UNB Libraries' e-Resources, the particular limitations are set by the database vendors, not the Copyright Act. It is important to understand the proper method for providing access to material on the site in order to avoid unnecessary problems. Guidelines are available here: Linking to Library Resources from Blackboard or Moodle. To join the Blackboard User Group, send your request to bbusers@unb.ca.
FAQs
Can I post PDFs of articles and book chapters in course websites?
Yes—if you have created them, have permission from the author, or if they are in the public domain (copyright expires 50 years after the death of the author). If you find a PDF online, you can put a link to the site's home page providing the proper citation (see below: Can I link to other Web sites?)
A straightforward approach is to locate material in UNB Libraries’ e-resources. Any material that has been licensed by UNB can be linked to online teaching material and made accessible to the UNB and STU community. A step-by-step guide can be found here: Linking to Library Resources from Blackboard or Moodle. If specific material is not available, it may still be possible to have the rights cleared for online use. For more information, please contact Josh Dickison, UNB Libraries' Copyright Officer, by email (jjd@unb.ca) or by telephone (506-447-3478).
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Can I link directly to online resources in UNB Libraries’ e-resources?
Yes. UNB Libraries' e-resources (http://www.lib.unb.ca/eresources/) can be linked directly from online course sites (e.g. Blackboard or Moodle). A step-by-step guide can be found here: Linking to Library Resources from Blackboard or Moodle. To join the Blackboard User Group, send your request to bbusers@unb.ca.
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Are course textbooks available as e-books?
Yes, if it is available through UNB Libraries e-resources it may be linked directly (see above: "Can I link directly to online resouces in UNB Library's e-resources?"). However, not only are students limited to the number of pages they may print, but publishers rarely provide electronic versions of textbooks. Generally, when creating access to e-resource material the same rules apply as when placing print material on Course Reserve at the Library.
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Can I link to other websites?
Yes. Although this is ambiguous in terms of the Copyright Act, the best practice is to link to the home page of the site that contains the specific material. If there is an internal page within the site you want students to view, you cannot link to it directly, but you can provide details on how to locate the material. This can be avoided by simply getting permission from the website's owner. As external websites can be altered or deleted, it is advisable to include a disclaimer indicating that sole responsibility of any linked material is held by the external sites.
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Can I have video in my website or Blackboard course?
It may be possible is to access streamable video and link or embed content to online course material or Blackboard. For more information on streamable video contact Bev Brabble bbramble@unb.ca or Josh Dickison jjd@unb.ca.
UNB Libraries has licenses for film performance rights with two consortia: Audio Ciné and Criterion. Also, UNB Libraries have purchased many films and documentaries that include public performance rights. This allows you to use films from distributors covered under these licenses in your classes. Each film has been coded with the clearances, or lack thereof, that have been purchased. Please refer to UNB Libraries' Film and Video Collection for more information.
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Can I scan or copy photos and images from print text for use on my website?
Like placing text on a website, it is permissible if you have created them, have permission from the creator, or they are in the public domain. It is also possible to provide a link to a website's homepage where the image is located.
Where can I get photos and images that I can use?
There is a growing list of open or licensed material online that you may use with proper acknowledgements. Here are a few:
ARTstor: Searchable database of 750,000+ digital images:
- ARTstor covers many time periods and cultures. It documents the fields of architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts and design, as well as many other forms of visual culture. Images are drawn from a variety of sources, including museums, archaeological teams, photo archives, slide collections, and art reference publishers. Users can search, view, and download images.
Microsoft Online Clip Art Library:
- Clip art, photos, animations, sounds and templates.
Creative Commons:
- Find items in many categories available under Creative Commons licenses (audio, images, video, text, and educational materials such as lesson plans and textbooks).
Dover Books:
- Dover publishes many books full of permission-free illustrations. You can also sign up for a weekly email of permission-free clip art.
Biocrawler: http://www..com/
- Biocrawler is licensed under the GNU general Public License. All of the material found on the website is free but must remain free and be given credit for its use.
Smithsonian Images:
- 6,288 images from the Smithsonian Institute.
The following sites also provide images for educational use:
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How can I protect multimedia content I put into the course?
Once material is fixed, loaded to a server, or simply saved to your hard drive, copyright protection is automatic. If, for example, you post in Blackboard a video or audio podcast that you created, only students registered in your course will be able to view it. Students will, however, be able to download these works to their computers or mobile devices to play them, and subsequently have a local copy. Students are then able to edit and use that material in any way they wish. Although copyright protection is automatic, you may consider registering your material if you feel there is potential for an infringement you will want to pursue legally. For more information, contact the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.
Another option is to convert your audio-visual material to a streamable version that is accessed from Blackboard. In this format, no copy remains with the student.
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UNB Libraries' Copyright Officer
If you have any further questions about copyright issues, please contact Josh Dickison, UNB Libraries' Copyright Officer, by email (jjd@unb.ca) or by telephone (506-447-3478).