3.3 Copyright during COVID

Are copyright restrictions different during COVID-19?

The short answer to this question is yes, though you'll still want to ensure that you have good justification.  For example, if your textbook was readily available for students to purchase and get delivered at the beginning of the term, scanning and posting the textbook in its entirety for the whole class may not be a good idea.

The Public Statement of Library Copyright Specialists Links to an external site. on fair use and emergency remote teaching states in part:

It is evident that making materials available and accessible to students in this time of crisis will almost always be a fair use. As long as we are being thoughtful in our analysis and limiting our activities to the specific needs of our patrons during this time of crisis, copyright law supports our uses. The fair use doctrine accommodates the flexibility required by our shared public health crisis, enabling society to function and progress while protecting human life and safety.

Remembering that students may be under extraordinary financial stress right now, it's a great idea to check in with OSU Libraries to see if there are any ways to secure course reading materials for your students at no cost to them if you are not using a traditional textbook from a large commercial publisher (Pearson, Wiley, McGraw-Hill, etc.).

Please refer to the following resources for additional information:

OSU Copyright in a Crisis Guidelines Download OSU Copyright in a Crisis Guidelines

"Yes, you can scan that textbook*" Links to an external site. webinar from ASERL Links to an external site. on Vimeo Links to an external site.

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