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Copyright at Waterloo

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Frequently Asked Questions: Faculty

A-Z Category Audience

01. What does copyright cover?
02. What rights does a copyright owner have?
03. How long does copyright last?
04. What is meant by "the public domain"? How do I know if something is in the public domain?
05. How does copyright work differently in Canada and the United States?
06. How does copyright work internationally?
07. What is fair dealing and how does it relate to copyright?
08. Does fair dealing cover teaching?
09. What are moral rights and what do they have to do with copyright?
10. What are the laws and rules relating to using copyright at Waterloo?
11. Who owns the copyright to the work I create at Waterloo?
12. What text should I use in my syllabus to protect the copyright to my course materials?
13. Do I have to cite my sources? What does a citation have to include?
14. How do I get permission to use someone else’s work?
15. Do I need to keep records for the copyrighted materials I use? How long should I keep these records?
16. Are there special rules for scanning copyrighted materials?
17. How can I tell if the materials I find online are legal copies?
18. May I post examples of my students’ work on my course shell on a learning management system such as LEARN, or on my personal website?
19. May I scan a print journal article or a book chapter into a PDF and post the file on a learning management system such as LEARN?
20. May I upload a PDF of a journal article I obtained through the Library’s e-journals to a learning management system such as LEARN for my students to read? 
21. May I post copies of copyright-protected works to a learning management system such as LEARN or email copies to students enrolled in my courses?
22. May I include links to videos from a free platform such as YouTube or Vimeo, or embed the videos on a learning management system such as LEARN?
23. Where can I find full-length, legal copies of audiovisual content that my students can access at home?
24. What are the copyright implications for sharing material on Perusall?
25. May I provide a link to an electronic journal article on a learning management system such as LEARN, instead of supplying that article using Course Reserves?
26. May I post presentation slides that include images, figures, tables, and/or diagrams from third-party sources on a learning management system such as LEARN?
27. In my course, I link to YouTube videos but some students are not able to access them. May I download or otherwise reproduce or screenshare YouTube videos for students who are unable to view them?
28. May I make copies of copyright-protected works to hand out to students in class? May I include copies of another person’s images and materials in my PowerPoint presentations?
29. Is there any difference between posting something on my own website versus posting something on one of Waterloo's learning management systems (such as LEARN)?
30. I’ve come across a recent journal article that I want to give out to my students. May I photocopy it and hand it out to them?
31. May I play music in class?
32. May I play videos/movies/films in class?
33. Are students permitted to include copyright-protected materials in their assignments and presentations?
34. Are there any databases of materials that I can use for free without worrying about copyright restrictions?
35. Is it acceptable to use images or other material from the Internet for educational purposes?
36. Do I need to ask permission to link to a website?
37. Is Course Reserves permitted to link to full-text resources that the Library has already paid for, such as e-journals and e-books? 
38. Is Course Reserves permitted to scan articles or chapters and put them on electronic reserve for students in my course?
39. Are there any restrictions on posting an instructor’s notes on Course Reserve? 
40. What kind of print materials can be placed on Course Reserve? 
Personal materials of instructors, for which they own the copyright (e.g., assignment questions/solutions). 

Original print books, textbooks, legally obtained DVDs and CDs, etc.

Courseware for the current academic term.
41. Where can I find more information about Course Reserves and how to use this service? 
42. What are licences for electronic resources?
43. Do I need to obtain permission to use copyright material in my course packs?
44. Do I need to obtain permission if I want copyright-protected material printed on campus?
45. If I have permission to put something on one of Waterloo's learning management systems (such as LEARN), does this mean I may also include it in my courseware?
46. Why is there sometimes a fee for copyright-protected materials used in courseware?
47. Am I permitted to make photocopies of copyright-protected materials at a W Print outlet?
48. Who do I talk to at Waterloo if I have a copyright question?
49. Is there anyone available to help me obtain permission to use copyright-protected materials? 
53. Am I permitted to digitize a DVD for teaching or research purposes?
54. Can I change the format of audiovisual materials for accessibility purposes?
55. May I stream an audiovisual work from a streaming website, including Netflix?

Copyright at Waterloo

The information obtained from or through this website is provided as guidelines for using works for educational and research purposes. This information is not intended to be legal advice and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Staff who provide copyright guidance at Waterloo are not lawyers or legal experts in copyright law and are able to provide professional and not legal opinions. Contact copyright@uwaterloo.ca with any questions.

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The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

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