Generally, all database materials can be made available through Blackboard by linking to the appropriate database. Linking is just as easy as attaching a PDF, but it is a better option for providing access to licensed material while staying within copyright and license terms. To learn how to provide permalinks to database articles that your students can access throughout the semester.
You also have the option of creating an e-reserve of database links using Course Reserves.This service creates a storehouse of permalinks outside of Blackboard for students to access licensed reading material for the course.
When there is no license agreement specifying how materials can be used, the U.S. Copyright Act applies to posting PDFs of library materials on Blackboard. Copyright law permits posting in three situations:
What do you do with the copyrighted materials?
|
What |
How to Use |
|
Public Domain Materials (Government documents, work dated before 1923 with no renewal) |
Linking |
|
Creative Commons Licenses |
Embedding |
|
Open Educational Resources |
Uploading |
|
Owned Content |
Linking |
|
Licensed Content |
Embedding |
Table by Brett D. Currier, CC-BY-NC
Exemptions for Teaching
The TEACH Act makes many exemptions for face to face courses, but online teaching is more conditional due to the nature of the web. A good rule of thumb is using an amount of a work comparable to that performed or displayed in a live classroom such as limiting access and copies to registered students and/or individual class sessions. Fair Use claims may be made by instructors where TEACH act guidelines may not be clear or use is integral to the class. For example using part of a book chapter during the weeks students may be in the process of getting the textbook can be a fair use claim.
Got a question? Contact your Personal Librarian or the Scholarly Communication/ Copyright Librarian at libraries.copyright@ttu.edu for any questions not answered in this post, or specific to your situation.