Copyright Compliance FAQ
Course Reserves
What types of materials are allowed?
PSU Library books and videos and your personal materials, such as textbooks, can be placed on reserve. Journal articles, book chapters, course syllabi, and sample exams are all acceptable for e-reserve.
If instructors are using examples of student-created works, written permission from the student is required:
Student-created Materials Release/Request Form
Not allowed:
- Books and videos borrowed via Summit or Interlibrary Loan
- Non-commercial (copied) DVDs, CDs, or videotapes
- Content from Harvard Business Review
What if I want multiple articles from one issue or more than one chapter?
What is not covered by “fair use”?
Can I upload files to Canvas?
Instructors need to be aware of University Copyright Policy when uploading files to Canvas.
The benefit of working with the Course Reserves department at the Library is that we offer copyright screening, pursue copyright (if needed), provide high-quality scans, and ensure that e-reserves are ADA accessible.
In the case of journal articles in our electronic collections, providing a link allows librarians to keep accurate usage statistics and make informed decisions about database retention.