Fair Dealing and Coursepacks FAQ

Do I need to obtain permission to use copyrighted material in my coursepacks?

Under fair dealing, short excerpts of copyright-protected material may be included in course packs without permission. See the Fair Dealing Guidelines for details. In addition some material covered by licences that the Libraries’ have for electronic resources may be included in course packs, see our license database for more information.

Any materials that you would like to include in coursepacks do not need to be assessed by the Copyright Office staff for copyright clearance requirements. Before your job will be processed at a campus print centre, they will ask you to confirm that your materials meet the guidelines set out in Dalhousie's Fair Dealing Guidelines, if you are uncertain, please contact the Copyright Office at 902-494-4346 or Copyright.Office@Dal.ca with any questions you may have.

If you are including material that exceeds the amounts set out in our Fair Dealing Guidelines, you may need permission from the copyright holder. The Copyright Office can assist you in obtaining this permission. In order to request this service, make a note of details such as the book/journal title, web address, author name, ISBN/ISSN number, page range and total number of pages in a book, and email it to Copyright.Office@Dal.ca

Can I have photocopies of copyrighted materials made at a campus Print Centre?

It depends. If the amount and purpose of the copying is covered by fair dealing, or another exception, or a license that the Libraries have for electronic resources, you will not need express permission. If, for example, you want copies printed for a classroom handout, and the amount to be copied is consistent with fair dealing, you will not need permission. If, however, what you want to copy is not covered by fair dealing, or another exception, or by one of the Libraries’ licenses, permission will be needed. Any material submitted for printing is checked for copyright clearance. If you have permission to copy the item from the copyright owner, please provide documentation for the permission when submitting your order. If you do not have permission, the Copyright Office staff can obtain permission where required.

If you have any questions before visiting a campus Print Centre, please call the Copyright Office 902-494-4346 or email Copyright.Office@Dal.ca.

If I have permission to put something on Dalhousie's learning management system (Brightspace/Blackboard), does this mean I can also include it in my coursepack?

If the copy posted is covered by fair dealing, it is likely that the copy can be included in a course pack without permission. If however the copy posted is permitted under a license agreement between Dalhousie and the publisher, it is necessary to consult the licence agreement to determine whether a copy may also be included in a coursepack. Some copyright holders will grant users permission to put information on password-secured websites, like Dalhousie's learning management systems (Blackboard/Brightspace), but not to reproduce the information in print format.

Why is there sometimes a fee for copyrighted material used in coursepacks?

Copyright holders and creators of works have the right to charge a fee for the use of their materials unless the use is otherwise covered by fair dealing, another exception, or one of the Libraries’ licenses. These fees vary, usually based on the number of pages or excerpts copied and the number of copies made. All copyright charges are collected on behalf of the copyright holders and remitted to them.

Who do I talk to at Dalhousie if I have a copyright question?

Listed below are individuals with copyright expertise. They would be pleased to assist you.

Scott MacPherson, Copyright Services Specialist
Copyright.Office@Dal.ca
scott.macpherson@dal.ca

Jaclyn Chambers Page, Copyright Librarian and Faculty of Agriculture Library Liaison
jchamberspage@dal.ca, 902-431-0483

Adapted from Waterloo Copyright FAQ by University of Waterloo licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 Canada Licence.