Richard Oliver
Copyright
Artists, writers, filmmakers, designers, musicians - in fact all those who create original works - rely on copyright law to protect their intellectual property rights.
This safeguards the integrity of the work and the income its creators and publishers may derive from it.
This page provides guidelines on the acceptable use of other people's work when you are doing research, writing assignments, and when making your own creative works. It is not fully comprehensive and does not constitute legal advice.
You must always acknowledge other work you have used. See the Referencing section of the Library website for guides on how to do this.
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Books, Journals and Newspapers
Electronic Copyright
Sound and Video Recordings
Maps, Charts or books of tables
Slides
Copyright and Disabilities
Commercial Research
Books, Journals and Newspapers
No more than one chapter from a book, or one article from a journal, or no more than 5% of a given work, whichever is greater, can be photocopied or scanned. A poem or short story is regarded as a work in itself and may only be copied up to a maximum of ten pages. This is governed by the Copyright Licence Agency (CLA).
There are some exceptions to this. See the Copyright Licensing Agency web site for a full list.
Document Supply (British Library, External Requests)
No more than one chapter from a book, or one article from a journal/periodical, or no more than 5% of a given work, whichever is greater, can be copied. A poem or short story is regarded as a work in itself and may only be copied up to a maximum of ten pages. This is governed by the Copyright Licence Agency (CLA).
There are some exceptions to this. See the Copyright Licensing Agency web site for a full list.
Multiple Copies
All administrative and academic staff may make and receive multiple photocopies for teaching purposes, but these must be made from an original book or journal owned by the University or have "Copyright Fee Paid" status through the British Library. Out of print material owned by staff may be copied in the exceptional case that a copy is not available to buy. This is governed by the Copyright Licence Agency (CLA)
There are some exceptions to this. See the Copyright Licensing Agency web site for a full list.
Type Layout
The typographical layout of any published material is protected by copyright. Distortion, which is changing, reordering, or altering the typographical arrangement of published material, is not allowed.
Newspapers
Under the Newspaper Licensing Agency's Licence (NLA Licence) cuttings from newspapers can be circulated to University students for personal study purposes and to staff for internal use. These copies must include a copyright declaration and they cannot include illustrations, photographs or advertisements. "Fair dealing" will allow single copies to be made of articles from newspapers that the University subscribes to, as long as it is for personal study purposes.
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Electronic Copyright
Published CD-ROMs
Use of published CD-ROMs owned by the University for personal study purposes is allowed. Unauthorised copying is not allowed. You have to contact the publishers and gain permission before using material beyond personal study purposes. The use of any part of the CD-ROM beyond the loan period is not permitted.
Published CD-ROMs within books
The use of published CD-ROMs from within books owned by the University is allowed. The CD-ROMs may be used in conjunction with the book for personal study purposes. You have to contact the publishers and gain permission before using material beyond personal study purposes. The use of any part of the CD-ROM beyond the loan period is not permitted.
The Internet
Material on the Internet is protected by copyright, even if there is no explicit copyright notice on the material. "Fair dealing" will allow you to make one copy of the material for research or private study.
Images stored in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) e.g. Blackboard
Images stored onto VLEs must have their copyright cleared. These can be from copyright cleared collections of images on the Internet which are available for education or research purposes.
The University has taken out the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) trial scanning licence. This allows the scanning of published material, including images (which can be copied) to be placed on a VLE which can then be accessed by students on specific courses.
E-books and E-journals
The same copyright regulations apply to E-books and E-journals as apply printed books and journals. No more than one chapter from a book, or one article from a journal/periodical, or no more than 5% of a given work, whichever is greater. A poem or short story is regarded as a work in itself and may only be copied up to a maximum of ten pages.
HE Scanning Licence and VLEs
The University has taken out the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) trial scanning licence. This allows the scanning of published material to be placed on a VLE which can then be accessed by students on specific courses.
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Sound and Video Recordings
Film Stills, Film Clips, Sound and Music
Distortion, that is changing, reordering, altering any of the above is an infringement of copyright. Whilst it is an infringement to add subtitles to a film – altering its original form, it is not an infringement to record a programme broadcast with subtitles.
Off-Air Audio and Video Recordings
The Educational Recording Agency (ERA) licence allows the University to record for educational purposes, terrestrial broadcast radio and television programmes and cabled programmes. It is also permitted to compile extracts from different programmes on to one tape or DVD. A record of when and where the programme was recorded should accompany the programme.
Note: Only registered students or staff of the ERA Licence holding institution may view and loan Off-Air Recordings
Off-Air Digital Recordings
ERA allows the copying of broadcast programmes from analogue to digital and vice versa. It also allows the delivery of digital programmes over an Intranet system, providing sources are acknowledged and materials are not distorted.
Open University Broadcasts
We have a separate licence that allows the University to make copies of Open University Programmes.
Published Audio Cassettes, CDs, Videos and DVDs
Use of published audio cassettes, CDs, Videos and DVDs owned by the University for personal study purposes is allowed.
Unauthorised copying and use of recordings is not allowed. You have to contact the publishers and gain permission before using material beyond personal study purposes.
Printed Music (including words)
The copying of printed music (including words) is not allowed. You have to contact the copyright owners and gain permission before copying.
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Maps, Charts or books of tables
The 'Ordnance Survey Licence' allows the copying of maps for educational purposes. Single copies of maps can be made. The licence also permits printing or copying of maps from the Digimap database. Electronic copies may be used in a VLE as long as the copy carries a copyright acknowledgement.
Slides
The Design and Artists' Copyright (DACS) Licence allows the University to create slides for educational purposes from printed works which it owns. The slides are marked to show they come under the DACS Licence.
Copyright and Disabilities
Visually Impaired
A visually impaired person or FE or HE institute may make copies for a visually impaired person if it is for his/her personal use.
This is subject to the condition that the visually impaired person or the institute already has legitimate master copy (bought or borrowed) and that a copy of the work is not commercially available.
The copies made may have the font size, font style, colour of text or justification changed. The Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002 does not encompass people with cognitive or perceptual disabilities, such as dyslexia.
Dyslexia
Students with dyslexia may make copies on coloured paper, but are not allowed to alter the font size, font style, colour of text or justification of text on the copy.
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Commercial Research
The University Libraries do not provide copies for commercial research, unless done in partnership for research purposes with a department of the University.
Exceptions
See the Copyright Licensing Agency's web pages for a full list of exceptions:
http://www.cla.co.uk/support/excluded.html
Disclaimer:
Efforts have been made to ensure that this document is up to date, but the University accepts no legal responsibility for errors, omissions or changes in law.
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