Custom Course Books

5.1 Do I need to obtain permission to use copyrighted material in my custom course book?
5.2 How long does it take to have a custom course book made?
5.3 If I have permission to put something on Western’s learning management systems, does this mean I can also include it in my custom custom course book?
5.4 Why is there a fee for copyright material used in custom custom course books?


5.1 Do I need to obtain permission to use copyrighted material in my custom course books?

Permission is required for copyright-protected material that is printed in a custom course book. Some material may be covered by licences that Western Libraries negotiates for electronic resources. Such licences allow you to provide students with a direct link to the full-text of the article and, in some cases, allow you include a printed copy in a custom course book. The Book Store at Western’s custom course books office will obtain permission for you.

Any materials that you would like to include in custom course books are assessed by the custom course books staff for copyright clearance requirements. This includes materials from the internet, government publications, and unpublished works, not just books and journals. Providing details such as book/journal title, web address, author name, ISBN/ISSN number, page range and total number of pages in a book will help to confirm permission more quickly. If you have any questions about copyright materials you would like to include, email the custom course books office at the Book Store at Western at askccb@uwo.ca.

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5.2 How long does it take to have a custom course book made?

If clearance from the copyright holder is required, it must be secured before the custom course book is printed, which adds to the timeline. The Book Store at Western’s custom course books office requires 8 weeks on average to process requests for custom course books, if the process runs smoothly. The custom course books office will communicate with you should unexpected issues arise, such as increased delays in receiving notification from the copyright holder or denial of a clearance request. In such instances it may be necessary to choose alternate material. There also are some special cases, such as reproducing entire out-of-print books or copying rare material, where it may take longer to secure copyright clearance.

When you place your order, the custom course book office staff can assess what copyright clearance may be required. If you have any questions regarding copyright and custom course books, email the custom course books office at askccb@uwo.ca.

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5.3 If I have permission to put something on Western’s learning management systems, does this mean I can also include it in my custom course book?

Not necessarily. Some copyright holders will grant users permission to put information on password-secured websites, like Western’s learning management systems, but not to put the information in print format. Others may permit inclusion in a custom course book but not allow uploading into the learning management system. The Book Store at Western’s custom course book office must confirm permission separately, even if the information is already secured for an LMS.

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5.4 Why is there a fee for copyright material used in custom course books?

Copyright holders and creators of works have the right to charge a fee for the use of their materials. These fees vary, usually based on the number of pages or excerpts copied and the number of copies made. All copyright charges are collected on behalf of the copyright holders and remitted to them at the end of each term.

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Creative Commons LicenceUnless otherwise indicated, content on Western's copyright website is licensed under
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.


Created 02/26/2014
Updated
Adapted from UBC’s Course Pack FAQ