Undergraduate students

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Copyright basics for students

The below list of resources will help you navigate copyright in your time as a student at Waterloo:

Friday, November 25, 2022

Copyright term changes to life plus 70 years

As of December 30, 2022, the copyright term in Canada will be changing from author's life plus 50 years to the author's life plus 70 years. This change was made as part of Bill C-19, the Budget Implementation Act, and is required by Canada's obligations under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

What does this mean for me?

Monday, June 27, 2022

Website redesign complete

Our website has been redesigned to make it easier to use. The Copyright Advisory Committee welcomes your feedback; please fill out the website feedback form or reach out to Lauren Byl, copyright & licensing librarian with your thoughts.

Content has been arranged into three streams:

49. Is there anyone available to help me obtain permission to use copyright-protected materials? 

The W Store obtains copyright-related permissions for printed courseware; the Library obtains permissions for Course Reserves material; and the Centre for Extended Learning obtains permissions for fully online courses. For other uses, you may obtain permission yourself by emailing or writing a letter to the copyright owner.

47. Am I permitted to make photocopies of copyright-protected materials at a W Print outlet?

It depends on how much you want to copy. The W Print staff can help you determine if the copyright-protected materials you wish to photocopy require permission from the rightsholder. If you have any questions before visiting a W Print outlet, please call extension 33996 or send an email to courseware@uwaterloo.ca.

46. Why is there sometimes a fee for copyright-protected materials used in courseware?

Copyright holders and creators of works have the right to charge a fee for the use of their materials unless the use is otherwise covered by fair dealing, another exception, or a Library licence. 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.

34. Are there any databases of materials that I can use for free without worrying about copyright restrictions?

Yes. There is a wealth of material out there that either is in the public domain or is available under what is known as a Creative Commons licence, which generally means the work is available for free but is subject to certain limited conditions, such as non-commercial use only and acknowledgement of the creator.

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