BLE Detailed Copyright Guide: Do I Need to Put a Copy on the BLE? Linking vs Copying
The first question to ask - before deciding whether and how you can put something on the BLE without infringing copyright - is whether you need to copy it at all. If the item is already available to students electronically, you don't need to copy it: you can set up a link to it, or explain to students how they can access it. A link will not infringe copyright as no copying is involved, although certain conventions should be observed (see below). The SOAS Library can help you to set up links to items from an electronic version of your reading list: contact the Electronic Services team or your faculty or subject librarian.
The online resources which you can link to fall into two categories: those which the Library subscribes to, and those which are generally available over the Internet.
1. Electronic resources in the SOAS Library
The electronic resources available via the Library include databases, over 18,000 electronic journals, and a growing number of electronic books. Students can access these resources via computers at SOAS, and also remotely (with a few exceptions) by logging in using their Athens account. The electronic journals include many which the Library subscribes to in paper form, and many more which the Library does not have a paper copy of. The Library's A-Z List of Electronic Journals is an easy way to find out if the Library has access to an electronic copy of a journal. Remember, as well, that if the Library subscribes to a journal in paper and electronic form, the entry for the paper set in the Library catalogue will also link to the electronic version. E-books are also included in the Library catalogue.
If students already have electronic access to a journal article or other resource via the Library, all you need to do is add a link to it, or explain how students can access it via the Library's website (e.g. through the A-Z journals list). There is no point putting a copy on the BLE. Never take an article or item which you've downloaded from a resource which the Library subscribes to, and put the file on the BLE. That is likely to violate the terms and conditions of use of the electronic resource, and is also not permitted by our CLA licence (see Scanning under the CLA licence).
Some articles by SOAS authors are freely available to all web users in SOAS Research Online, SOAS's eprints repository, and can be linked to in the same way as other external web resources (see below).
2. External websites
You can add links to external websites to the BLE, but bear the following points in mind:
- Material on the web is subject to copyright. Unless the website indicates otherwise, the most you can assume is that the website owner allows you to browse, download and print out material for your own private use. It is advisable to check the website's terms and conditions of use before doing anything else. Don't put a file which you have downloaded from the web on the BLE unless you have permission from the website owner, as that could infringe copyright.
- If you are setting up a "deep link" to an item (e.g. a PDF copy of a report) which is well within an external website, it may not be clear to students where it is located. In such cases, it is good practice to explain the source of the item, e.g. by naming the website and giving a separate link to the home page.
Academic research papers are increasingly available on the web via open access archives such as SOAS Research Online. These provide access to research material, often contributed by the authors themselves, where publication agreements or copyright restrictions do not prevent the items from being made available. Unlike electronic journals, material in open access archives is normally freely available and does not require a subscription. OpenDOAR is an on-line directory of open access repositories throughout the world. The general points above about linking to material on the web also apply to the use of the material in these repositories: the material is still subject to copyright; repositories' terms and conditions of use should be respected; and while links are acceptable, files should not be downloaded and put on the BLE unless you have permission to do so.
Last updated September 2008
