Copyright Guidelines for Print Library Reserves

Copying print materials for library reserves is governed by the Fair Use provisions of the 1976 Copyright Law (17 United States Code Section 101 et seq) Section 107. Guidelines are based on the Model Policy Concerning College and University Photocopying for Classroom, Research, and Library Reserve Use (American Library Association, 1982)

The Code specifies that copying print materials must consider four factors:

the purpose and character of the use
the nature of the work copied
the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the work as a whole
the effect of the use on the potential market for the work

Normally an entire article or a chapter of a book can be copied and placed on reserve for one term of a course without getting the permission of the copyright owner.

A library placing articles or chapters on reserve is required to place a copyright notice on the first page of material placed on reserve.

The same item cannot be placed on reserve for more than one consecutive term without getting permission of the copyright owner.

The number of copies of an article placed on reserve should be reasonable in light of the number of students enrolled, the difficulty of the assignment, and the time students have to complete an assignment. One quarter to one third of the number of students in the class is considered reasonable.

Generally, the library should own a copy of a work placed on reserve. However, it is possible to place on reserve an article obtained through interlibrary loan or as provided by a faculty member.

Library reserves cannot take the place of purchased textbooks or purchased course packs on which royalities have been paid by to the copyright owner. The amount of photocopied material placed on reserve should be a reasonably small portion of the total amount of material assigned for a course.

For additional information, the following resources are recommended: