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Adelphi University

Copyright and Fair Use for Faculty

Introduction to copyright and fair use for Adelphi faculty, with an emphasis on FAQs for using library and other resources in compliance with copyright law. This site is not legal advice, and the authors are not legal counsel to the university.

Placing Materials on Reading Lists

The Adelphi University Libraries honors requests from faculty to place course related items on Reading Lists for Physical Items and Reading Lists for Electronic Items that are in compliance with US Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107) and the Fair Use guidelines. All such material include a copyright statement at the beginning of each document:

Warning Concerning Copyright Restrictions

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproduction of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research. If electronic transmission of reserve materials is used for purposes in excess of what constitutes  fair use that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Faculty can notify the library about books to place on Reading Lists via the request form on the Library website. Please contact User Services for more information.

When the Library building is open, print materials on a Reading List for Physical Items for use in the library building are kept behind the service desk and are only available for use in the library. Generally accepted Fair Use guidelines will be consulted to determine the amount of a book or the number of articles from a journal will be put on a Reading List

 What can be placed on a Reading List?

  • Copyrighted materials for which the faculty has obtained  permission

  • Physical material (Books, DVD, VHS, etc) owned by the University or faculty may be placed on physical reserve

  • Whole works or sections of works that are in the public domain

  • Complete works or sections of works by the U.S. government

  • Book or scores made available within the libraries

  • Part of books, journals, and other print resources that meet a reasonable determination of Fair Use

  • Works for which the instructor holds the copyright

What cannot be placed and is possibly a copyright infringement?

  • Reference and Special Collection materials

  • Interlibrary Loan material

  • Commercial anthologies

  • Works prohibited by licensing restrictions

  • Materials for courses that are not currently being taught

Copy and follow this link for the request form: http://ecampus.adelphi.edu/e_reserves/

 

Electronic Reserves

Electronic reserves are accessible through the library’s web site to students enrolled in a specific class and are password protected. They must also meet Fair Use and copyright guidelines as stated above and elsewhere in this guide since they may require making copies of original materials. Electronic reserves are not meant to substitute in any way for the purchase or licensing of books or any other copyrighted materials that would be used in course work.

Copy and follow this link for the reserve request form: http://ecampus.adelphi.edu/e_reserves/