Rationale
Your 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.
In addition to paying for these resources, libraries typically negotiate license agreements that stipulate how and by whom a given resource may be used. If license terms are violated by anyone, licensors may temporarily suspend access for the entire university community. In cases where a resolution cannot be reached, the vendor may have the right to permanently revoke a license and access to the resource.
The policy
You can help prevent such problems by adhering to good practices and avoiding improper use. Here are some rules of thumb.
Acceptable
- Making a limited number of print or electronic copies for your personal use
- Using materials for personal, instructional or research needs
- Sharing with UofG faculty, staff and students
- Posting links to specific content
Unacceptable
- Systematic or substantial printing, copying or downloading (such as entire journal issues); including use of any crawling or replicating software
- Selling or re-distributing content, or providing access to someone outside of the university community, such as an employer
- Sharing with people other than registered UofG faculty, staff and students
- Posting actual content or articles to web sites or Listservs
- Modifying or altering the contents of licensed resources in any way
- Using these electronic resources for commercial purposes
Always acknowledge your source on any published or unpublished document when you use data found on electronic resources.
Grey areas: Some license agreements make express allowances for electronic reserves, course packs, multiple copies for classroom use and interlibrary lending. Other licenses may prohibit one or more of these activities.
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