University of Guelph Library
Copyright guidelines for the University of Guelph Library
All universities and libraries in Canada are required to comply with Canadian Copyright Law, and with the Universal and Berne International copyright conventions to which Canada is signatory. In practical terms, this means that any copying of materials by University faculty, staff or students, regardless of format, is subject to certain limits and restrictions.
General Guidelines
Existing copyright legislation applies to all works, whether registered or not, of the following or similar genres: books and periodicals (both print and electronic), charts, computer software, diagrams, films, graphs, letters, maps, models, music, photographs, recordings, TV shows, videotapes, web sites, works of art, etc. Copyright protection exists automatically for every work that is created, whether or not it is explicitly stated on the work or marked with the symbol; protection generally remains in effect until 50 years after the death of the author or creator.
Canada's Copyright Act, as amended to September 1, 1999, makes some provisions for copying works without the consent of the copyright owner or the payment of royalties. These "exceptions" allow non-profit libraries, educational institutions, and individuals to make copies within defined limits. For example, the "fair dealing" exception permits an individual to copy, without permission, a portion of a published work for private study, research, criticism, review, or news summary.
A general guide as to the kinds of copying that are permitted, as well as those which are prohibited, has been posted above all photocopying and printing equipment in the Library. For more detailed information, please review the Canadian Copyright Act, and the University's Fair Dealing Policy [PDF 71kb]. For assistance, contact Heather Martin, ext 54701, or send an email to .
Note that the Copyright Act provides for civil and criminal remedies for infringement of copyright. If you are a member of the university community and you receive notice from a copyright owner alleging infringement of copyright, immediately contact Catherine Steeves, Chief Information Officer and Chief Librarian, , ext 58526.
Copying & Printing in the Library
When using the Library's or the university's copying and printing equipment to make copies of works which are protected by copyright, the copying must be authorized by:
- The Copyright Act for the purpose of fair dealing or under specific exceptions set out in that Act;
- The copyright owner; or
- The University's Fair Dealing Policy [PDF 71kb]
Generally, this means that, unless prior written permission has been obtained from the copyright owner, users of copiers and printers in the Library must ensure that their copying falls within the limits outlined in the Copyright Act or the provisions of the fair dealing policy. To assist users with determining what materials may be copied, guidelines have been posted at all photocopiers and printers in the Library.
Copying for TUGdocs & Interlibrary Loan
Copies of articles or documents provided through the Library's TUGdoc and Interlibrary Loan services are made according to the limits specified under Canadian Copyright Law, or under the University's Fair Dealing Policy [PDF 71kb]. Generally, this means an individual may request a single copy of one article from one journal issue, or more than one article provided the total number of pages does not exceed 10% of the issue. If the request exceeds these limits, and a legal copy is not commercially available, the requestor will be advised that the request cannot be filled.
When submitting a request for a TUGdoc or Interlibrary Loan item, the requestor must agree to a statement indicating agreement that the materials received will be used for the purpose of research, private study, review or criticism only, and that the requestor has not previously received a copy of the article/document being requested.
Copying for Course Reserves
Copies of articles, book chapters and other materials placed on print or electronic Reserve must also comply with the Copyright Act and the University's Fair Dealing Policy. When submitting photocopied or scanned material to be placed on Reserve, instructors are required to indicate the original source of the material, the author, the publisher, the year of publication, the exact pages copied, and in some cases, the total number of pages in the original work. E-Learning and Reserve staff will seek permission from the copyright holder for all copies placed at the Reserve Desk or on electronic reserve. If permission cannot be obtained, library staff can provide assistance with identifying alternatives. To place materials on Course Reserve, or make them available through Courselink (Desire2Learn), submit requests through the Ares Course Reserve System, or by phone (ext 53621), email ( ), or in person.
Copying for Instructional Purposes
Copying done for the purpose of teaching or instruction, such as copying for course packs, for posting in course management systems such as Courselink (D2L), or for distributing to students by e-mail or in class, are not usually considered to be fair dealing. Consequently, faculty and staff making copies for instructional purposes, whether in paper or electronic form, without obtaining the permission of the copyright owner, should seek assistance in order to ensure that their copying is not infringing. E-Learning and Reserves staff can seek permission for these kinds of uses on behalf of instructors. For more information about obtaining permissions, and/or making copyrighted materials available through Courselink (Desire2Learn), contact E-Learning and Reserves staff by phone (ext 53621), email ( ), or in person; or submit requests through the Ares Course Reserve System.
Copying From Electronic Journals, Electronic Books and Other Library Licensed Electronic Resources
The library contracts with a variety of vendors and publishers to provide users with thousands of electronic resources (databases, e-journals, e-books, etc.) costing millions of dollars per year. Making copies from these resources is governed by the terms of the licenses negotiated with individual publishers and vendors. For more information about acceptable uses of the library's electronic resources, see the Library's Electronic Resource Use guidelines, or send an e-mail to .
Audiovisual & Multimedia Materials
Copyright protection on audio visual and multimedia works is complex, as often more than one copyright is involved. For example, in a sound recording, copyright subsists in the musical composition, the sound recording itself, and the performance by the artist(s). In multimedia works, copyright will subsist separately in each of the different media contained within the work, eg. voice, text, video clips, performances, music, etc. Permission to copy a multimedia or audio visual work will require obtaining permission from all of the copyright holders concerned.
For films and videos, public performance licenses are often required in order for the work to be shown in a public setting such as a classroom, club, meeting room, or cafeteria. In some cases, the University may have purchased site licenses to enable the public performance of videos in certain classroom settings. To find out if this is the case, or for information about obtaining public performance licenses, contact the Library's Multimedia Specialist,:
Krys Mooney, 519-824-4120 (x52313),