Copyright for Teaching

The library purchases, subscribes to, or licenses materials for the nonprofit, educational use of students and faculty. “Fair Use” provisions of Copyright Law and the Teach Act allow faculty to make reading and viewing materials available to students in a classroom, online, or via Canvas -- always check your intended use against the Fair Use Factors.

A good practice for any materials you use is to include a copyright statement:

• on all materials -- NOTICE: This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 US Code)

• on all Canvas sites that include copyrighted materials: The materials on this course Web site are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

1. If you are making a direct link to an article, image, audio, or video available electronically through the Library’s databases.

Many of the Library’s databases offer full text materials (including images, streaming audio and video) that you can simply link to, without scanning or saving them to your computer.  Saving the pdf or media file to your computer may violate fair use in cases where the library discontinues its subscription or the provider removes the content from the database so linking is the best practice.

Direct Links:  For off campus access, you’ll need to precede the item URL with our proxy URL: http://proxy.lib.odu.edu/login?url= 

Preceding the item URL with the proxy information prompts ODU affiliated users to log into the Libraries' subscription using their Midas credentials.

For more information, see Linking to Full Text Articles

Ask a librarian about finding materials provided online through the Libraries' website.

2. If you are using “public domain” materials, sample exams, lecture notes, government publications, course notes, personal photographs, or other unpublished writings of the faculty member posting materials.

Copyright permission should be obtained for the following, regardless of whether it is in the classroom or on Canvas:

1. multiple articles or chapters copied from one book or journal (rule of thumb: do not use more than 10% of a book or journal issue)
2. articles or chapters used for more than one semester
3. consumable works (standardized tests, exercises, workbooks or other commercially available materials that are intended for one use)
4. student work
5. any material clearly indicating that permission is required

In addition, permission is required when you want to use the materials repeatedly.

(A signed statement by copyright holder granting permission to use should be retained by faculty member.)

Not all of our electronic books allow multiple simultaneous users. Contact our Acquisitions Coordinator, Tracey Bowry tbowry@odu.edu, to find out any restrictions if you intend to use one of the Libraries' ebooks.

It is possible for you to place an ebook on reserve for your class. See our Course Reserves page to find out how to submit a reserve request.

See also the library's Guide to Using Electronic Books.

It is best to link to streaming video if available.

Converting vhs to dvd.  If you need a dvd copy of a library-owned vhs tape to show in a face-to-face classroom, ask the library to purchase the dvd.

If no dvd exists for purchase, you may need to contact the copyright owner to get permission to convert.