VIULearn:
Print Course Readings:
Copyright Basics:
Don't see what you're looking for? Contact the Copyright Office.
Maybe. It depends on the source. Online journals and e-books provided through the library are subject to license agreements with content providers. Some license terms allow instructors to post PDFs of journal articles or chapters from e-books in password-protected learning environments such as VIULearn and VIUTube, while others only permit sharing persistent links.
Note: license terms take precedence over legislative allowances, such as fair dealing. Always check the license permitted uses before using an electronic resource.
Visit the Licenses & Terms of Use page for information on how to check permitted use of licensed works.
Yes. Instructors can post lecture slides containing copyright-protected content (e.g., images, graphs) in secure learning environments, such as VIULearn.
Before posting, instructors should ensure that all copyright-protected content is covered by one of the following:
For more information on copyright permissions, see the Requesting Permissions page.
Yes. Under fair dealing, instructors can share short excerpts from copyright-protected works with students enrolled in a course for educational purposes. See VIU's Fair Dealing page.
Note: when using electronic resources, license agreements with vendors take precedence over legislative allowances, such as fair dealing. Visit the Licenses and Terms of Use page for information on how to check permitted use of licensed works.
Maybe. It depends on the source. Copying for print course packs is determined by fair dealing, educational exceptions in the Copyright Act, and license agreements with content providers.
For more information on what can be included in a course pack, visit the Textbooks & Course Materials page of this guide. A bibliography must be included in all course packs.
If copying exceeds permissible limits, the Copyright Office will need to secure permission from the copyright holder before the course packs can be printed.
For more information, contact the Copyright Office.
Yes. Providing source information is essential for copyright purposes.
A bibliography allows for easy identification of all materials included in a pack. Staff can determine if the copying is covered by fair dealing, educational exceptions in the Copyright Act, or license agreements with content providers. If permission is required, all the elements needed to make the request can be identified through the bibliographic information.
The bibliographic source information is collected in the Campus Store's Custom Courseware Adoption & Copyright Form.
Source information also enables VIU to demonstrate to an auditing body that copying at our institution falls within allowable parameters.
Finally, including source information can help students identify the resources in their packs.
Please include all materials in the bibliography, including those written by you or any other instructor at VIU.
To determine if you can copy something, ask yourself the following questions:
Still unsure? Contact the Copyright Office for help.
Yes. If you are copying material for educational purposes, fair dealing permits copying of short excerpts from copyright-protected works.
Visit the Fair Dealing page for more information.
In Canada, copyright lasts for the life of the creator +50 years* (+70 years for sound recordings). When copyright expires, works enter the public domain where they can be used freely without payment or permission from the copyright owner.
Example: if an author died on March 22, 1923, copyright on their work expired on December 31, 1973.
Unless it is clearly stated, assume a work is covered by copyright until you can prove otherwise.
Note: before copying, reproducing, or adapting a work, confirm the copy you have in hand is in the public domain. While the original work may be in the public domain, a republished work may be protected by a new term of copyright.
*On Dec 31, 2022, copyright is going to be extended to the life of the creator +70 years.
For assistance, please visit the the Public Domain page or please contact the Copyright Office.
Resources that can be used with fewer restrictions compared to traditional, copyright-protected works include:
For information on how to find and use these resources, visit the Copyright Alternatives page.
To secure permission to use a copyright-protected work, contact the copyright owner. Ownership is usually indicated in the copyright statement next to the © symbol.
Please visit the Requesting Permissions page for details, and the Copyright Office can also assist with permissions. Please contact the Copyright Office with your request. For published materials, please provide:
Submit your request well in advance of the start of term. Please allow 6-8 weeks for a response from a copyright holder.
Yes. Instructors may reproduce, share, or stream works available through the internet, provided:
The source and, if provided, the author, performer, maker, or broadcaster must be cited.
Copyright Act, Section 30.04
Yes. The Copyright Act permits reproduction of copyright-protected works for display in class, provided the works are not commercially available in an appropriate format.
Note: what you can display in the classroom may be different from what you can distribute to students (e.g. as a handout or post in VIULearn). Many educational uses of copyright-protected content are permitted under fair dealing and educational exceptions in the Copyright Act. Before distributing presentation slides containing copyright-protected works by others, ensure that:
If you exceed these limits, permission from the copyright owner is required. Visit the Requesting Permissions page for further details or contact the Copyright Office for assistance.
Copyright Act, Section 29.4(1)
Yes. Members of the VIU community (students, staff, and faculty) are permitted to reproduce, share, or stream works available through the Internet, provided:
The source and, if provided, the author, performer, maker, or broadcaster must be cited.
Copyright Act, Section 30.04
In copyright, there is a fundamental difference between a password-protected website and one that is publicly available.
A site that is password-protected and only available to students registered in your class is an extension of the classroom environment. Fair dealing and educational exceptions in the Copyright Act apply to works shared by you and your students on your password-protected site.
These exceptions are available because you are sharing copyright-protected works for educational use. If the site is open to the public, educational exceptions no longer apply.
If you want to post licensed materials, check the terms of use before posting. Some license terms may allow for the posting of a PDF of an article or a chapter, while others may only allow sharing a persistent link.
Visit the Licenses and Terms of Use page for information on how to check permitted use of licensed works.
According to VIU's Intellectual Property Policy (31.13), Faculty members own the Intellectual Property (IP) in all works they create as part of their assigned duties unless the:
Do you have questions? Want to learn more? Contact the Copyright Office
The information on this website is provided as guidance for educational purposes and is not intended as legal advice.
VIU's copyright website is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
VIU Library | email:library@viu.ca | Nanaimo: 250.740.6330 | Cowichan: 250.746.3517 | tiwšɛmawtxʷ: 1.888.920.2221 ext.6330 |
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