Reserve Materials
Copyright Guidelines


General Concerns

A faculty member may place original, library-owned materials or personal copies of course-related material on reserve for as long as necessary. Photocopied materials must, however, adhere to the copyright guidelines outlined below:

At the request of a faculty member, the library may place on reserve photocopies of copyrighted works in accordance with guidelines similar to those for multiple copies for classroom use. The library believes that these guidelines apply to the library reserve collection to the extent that it functions as an extension of classroom readings or reflects an individual student's right to photocopy for his/her personal scholastic use under the doctrine of fair use.

Requests for placing photocopied material on reserve should meet the following guidelines:

  • The copying meets the tests of brevity and spontaneity as defined below;and
  • Meets the cumulative effect test as defined below; and
  • Each copy includes a copyright notice.

Brevity
  • Prose: A complete article, story or essay of less than 2,500 words, or an excerpt from any prose work of not more than 1,000 words or 10% of the work, whichever is less, but in any event a minimum of 500 words.

  • Poetry: A complete poem if less than 250 words and if printed on not more than two pages, or an excerpt from a longer poem of not more than 250 words.

  • Illustration: One chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture per book or per periodical issue.

Spontaneity
  • The copying is at the instance and inspiration of the individual teacher, and

  • The inspiration and decision to use the work and the moment of its use for maximum teaching effectiveness are so close in time that it would be unreasonable to expect a timely reply to a request for permission.

Cumulative Effect
  • The copying of the material is for only one course in the school in which the copies are made.

  • Not more than one short poem, article, story, essay, or two excerpts may be copied from the same author, nor more than three from the same collective work or periodical volume during one class.

  • There shall not be more than nine instances of such multiple copying for one course during one class term.

Additional Criteria

    Copying shall not be repeated with respect to the same item by the same teacher from term to term.

    Copying shall not be used to create or to substitute for anthologies, compilations or collective works. Such replacement or substitution may occur whether copies of various works or excerpts therefrom are accumulated or reproduced and used separately.

      Note: Should the instructor wish to create his or her own anthology or coursepack for use in the classroom, he or she should contact the University Store for assistance in securing the necessary copyright clearances, paying royalties, printing, and binding. The exception would be if all coursepack articles are found in the ProQuest Direct databases, available through the library's subscriptions.

    There shall be no copying of or from works intended to be consumable in the course of study or of teaching. These include workbooks, exercises, standardized tests and test booklets and answer sheets and like consumable material.

    Copying shall not substitute for the purchase of books, publishers' reprints or periodicals.