Copyright Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make items on my reading list available electronically?
- Can I link to electronic resources available through the Library's Electronic Library
- Do I need copyright clearance to incorporate an item (i.e. text, table, diagram etc) in my Moodle course as long as it is for educational purposes?
- If I use material as part of assessment do I still need copyright permission?
- How long does it take to get copyright clearance and how do I get it?
- Do I need copyright clearance to use slides and video in the VLE?
- Surely copyright does not exist on the web and I incorporate other web based materials into my site freely?
- What about linking to other websites?
- I have another question, where can I get more advice?
1. Can I make items on my reading list available electronically?
Many journal articles and chapters from books can be made available electronically provided permission is obtained from the copyright holder. Alternatively, material may be available through an existing electronic journal or e-book subscription. CLT provide more information about Online Readings in Moodle.
2. Can I link to electronic resources available through the Electronic Library?
Yes, this is a good way of directing your students to use electronic resources, such as JSTOR or IBSS, for which the LSE have an existing subscription. Don't forget that some licence restrictions mean resources are only accessible from the LSE campus. For more advice about linking these types of resources see Linking to Electronic Journal Sources or contact Jane Secker (j.secker@lse.ac.uk).
3. Do I need copyright clearance to incorporate an item (i.e. text, table, diagram etc) in my Moodle course if it is for educational purposes?
You will need permission unless:
- the items are out of copyright
- you are the copyright holder
- You may be the author of an article but you are not necessarily the copyright holder. You may have assigned rights to the publisher; it is important that you check your publishing contact / terms of agreement.
- LSE is the copyright holder
- If a colleague has produced materials which you want to include in your web site it is only courteous to discuss this with them. Remember, permission is also required to adapt material produced by someone else.
4. If I use material as part of assessment do I still need copyright permission?
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 made special provisions for examination purposes. For the purposes of setting, communicating or answering the questions in closed exams anything may be done with copyright materials (except for music) without permission. If you are using online assessment tools, such as Quizzes or Surveys and wish to include copyrighted material contact Jane Secker (j.secker@lse.ac.uk) for more information.
5. How long does it take to get copyright clearance and how do I get it?
The time taken to get copyright permission can vary depending on individual copyright holders. The School holds a Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) Licence which covers the majority of UK publishers which means such materials can be cleared quickly. However, obtaining permission for other materials e.g. American publications, in electronic format can take many weeks and may be prohibitively expensive.
Contact Dr Jane Secker for advice and assistance in obtaining copyright permissions, either by e-mail (j.secker@lse.ac.uk) or telephone (020 7955 6530).
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6. Do I need copyright clearance to use slides and video in the VLE?
Slides from your own lectures for which you hold the copyright, can be easily incorporated into a Moodle course. However you will need copyright permission to use materials which belong to other individuals. You should take care not to include any material in PowerPoint presentations without permission from the rights owner. For further details see Copyright, Images and Multimedia.
7. Surely copyright does not exist on the web and I can incorporate other web based materials into my site freely?
NO! Copyright exists on web-based materials in the same way as other published materials. You cannot cut and paste information or images into your site from another site without permission. If you wish to direct students to other web based materials, you can link to other websites, see below.
Before downloading or copying any material from the web you should pay particular attention to any copyright statement, terms and conditions or licence attached to the site. Increasingly, organisations are including this information prominently on their site and you should read it and take note of any specific restrictions. For example, see the BBC's terms of use for their website.
Many educational websites will freely grant permission for other academics to use their material. You will need to identify the copyright holder and often the webmaster for a site is the most useful first point of contact. Their contact details are usually included on the bottom of web pages.
Images are equally covered by copyright law and increasingly commercial website owners are including a watermark in their images to discourage illegal copying. There are numerous web sites available that provide large number of free images. If you need any further advice about this matter please contact Jane Secker (j.secker@lse.ac.uk).
LSE have recently taken out a subscription to the Education Image Gallery. The collection contains over 50,000 images which have been copyright-cleared for educational use. You will need your LSE username and password to access the collection. More information is available at Copyright, Images and Multimedia.
8. What about linking to other websites?
Linking is a fundamental part of the web and generally does not cause copyright issues. However, there are several good practice guidelines that you should adhere to.
- If you are linking to a resource available on the web you should as far as possible avoid a "deep link" which bypasses the home page of an organisation. This is for several reasons, but in particular, because deep links are less likely to be stable, and the material may be moved or taken down.
- If you are linking to an external website you should ensure the link opens in a new browser window. This is to make it clear that the user is visiting an external site and leaving your website. It is particularly important when you are linking from the VLE, as it will ensure the link does not open within the same frame.
9. I have another question, where can I get more advice?
Contact the Learning Technology Librarian Dr Jane Secker (j.secker@lse.ac.uk) Tel 020 7955 6530. Training is available on a one-to one basis and in small groups. See the courses and workshops for the new programme of courses for academic and administrative staff.