How Can I Legally Use Library Sources in My Courses? Using Primo "Permalinks" or "Reading Lists"
Digital Sources We Own: If we already own the e-book, digital video, or article you need, students can access the whole source online directly in the course! Just copy & paste the chain Permalink from the Primo search, or add the source to a course Reading List through the "add" tool, or click "Reading Lists" in the 3-dot menu for a source while searching in Primo to add the source to an existing list. Note: Reading Lists provide more direct access, while a Primo Permalink will require a few clicks.
Books We Only Have in Print: In course Reading Lists, If you link a book we only have in print, you'll get a pop-up box asking if you want us to purchase it as an e-book. However, e-books may not be available for all titles. The other options are to digitize up to two chapters or put the print book on reserves at the library desk through Reading List options. In Primo, you can also click "Request PDF of Chapter" & then share it with students.
Sources We Don't Own Yet: If you need a reading for a course that we don't own at all, all faculty and instructors now have the option in Primo to click Purchase Request in the record of any source we don't own and then note the format you want (book or e-book). In Reading Lists, you will get a pop-up box asking if you'd like to purchase the book when you add the title to your list. Select the format you want in the box. If you want to add an article that the library doesn't own, you will also get an options box in Reading Lists asking if you want us to discuss purchasing it.
Sources You Want Students to Obtain: If we don't own it, but you don't want the library to purchase the source because it is optional reading or a required purchase, just add the title to your Reading List or post the Permalink to the Primo record in your modules or syllabus. Then, students can purchase it on their own or borrow the book through Fulfillment Services (ILL) in Primo with the "Get it for me from other libraries..." button; you can leave a note on the source in Reading Lists pointing out the ILL option or the purchasing option.
PDFs of Book Chapters: You can let students read a section of our print library books online; just click the book title in Primo or Reading Lists and scroll down to the black link that says "Request PDF of Chapter" to have us scan up to 10% of the book for you. You can also request that we scan a reference entry, such as part of a dictionary or commentary. If your Reading List is associated with a course, you will also see a blue "Digitization" link with a lightning bolt, which is the best link to use in Reading Lists.
Sources That Don't Come Up in the Search: If you know of a source you need, and it's not coming up in the Reading List search tool, first go to Regent's Primo library search and look for it; then export from Primo to the list. If it's not in Primo either, go back to your list and click on "Add Non-Library Resources" and add in the URL, title, and author manually, or use the Cite It! browser tool to easily grab the info on a source from the web. Select the type such as "website" or "book." You'll get a pop-up box asking if you want to request purchase (not needed for free websites & open-access sources).
On-Campus Course Reserves: If you need a print book on reserve for an on-campus class, tag it as a course reserves book and decide how long students can check it out for. It will be placed at the front desk for your students!
Digital Fulfillment/Sequestering: On rare occasions, such as when an e-book is not available and the book is in high demand, the library may be able to digitize a full book and sequester the print copy so that it can only be "checked out" online. Then, the book can be read online by one user at a time. These books can be found in the Primo search by title, the Digital Fulfillment Collection, or can be linked in a Reading List. Contact fulfillment@regent.edu with questions.
Note: In Reading Lists, you can always leave a note in "library discussion," email your librarian or librarians@regent.edu, or email the library staff at reserves@regent.edu regarding any issue.
General Guidelines
In order to avoid infringing on copyright law, try to provide links to electronic resources in the library system rather than providing PDFs or other documents. However, if you copy the URL in your address bar, students will most likely not be able to access the article. Instead, you will need to find a permanent link that will lead directly to the page with the document. Depending on the database being used, this link may be called permalink, stable link, document URL, bookmark this document, direct link, etc.
The easiest way to link to any library resource, print or digital, is through Primo, our system that searches our books and databases. Find the article or book you wish to link. Click on the "chain link" icon. Copy the link into your course or email. This link takes students to the Primo interface record, and they can click through to the database containing the full-text article, the streaming film, or just get the book record for a print book. Be sure to log in to the library through Primo, and tell students to log in, or links may not work.
Can I copy from a book and share it with my students?
What if there is no e-book or PDF available to download, such as for a print book, and I need it for a course? Can I copy it and make my own PDF? Can we scan print materials owned by the library for students to read online or in class? Yes, schools are allowed "fair use" of copyrighted materials for educational purposes. However, fair use dictates limits on what is allowed.
*A good general rule is to copy and distribute no more than 10% of a book, or one article in a journal, or one chapter of a book.*
These are also the guidelines generally followed by our ILL/Document Delivery service, which can create PDFs of print books & articles within these limits for faculty and student use. Click "Request PDF of Chapter/Article" to request a section of a print book or print journal in Primo.
For print books on campus, you can put them on course reserve behind the front desk. Contact reserves@regent.edu.
What about posting materials online?
The TEACH Act has expanded the scope of fair use for the performance and display of copyright-protected materials in a distance education environment, including platforms like Blackboard.
Instructors are strongly encouraged to use permalinks or hyperlinks to e-books or journal articles within library databases, which avoids copyright infringement. The best plan is to use Primo to get links. You can also obtain permalinks in most databases.
Please ask a librarian for assistance in building persistent hyperlinks to online resources.
What about using videos or movies in class?
Section 110 (1) of the Copyright Law enables teachers to perform or display a video or movie without a public performance license, so long as the use is 1) in a classroom or similar instruction space, 2) the use is part of a regularly scheduled course, and 3) the user must be exclusively by the instructor and the students in the classroom, in the course of face-to-face teaching activities. See Regent's copyright statement here.
Ask a Librarian if you need additional assistance.
In Primo, you can click the chain icon and then control C to copy the Permalink. Use control V to paste it into Canvas.
To add the source to one of your Reading Lists, click the three dot menu next to the source title, then "RL," choose the list, and choose the section.