Cornell, Publishers Set Copyright Guidelines for E-Content
Faculty must obtain rightsholder permission for the use of electronic course materials just as they would for print content. That message was delivered to Cornell University faculty and students earlier this month in a new set of copyright guidelines jointly drafted by officials from Cornell and the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
The new guidelines focus on the distribution of copyrighted course materials on electronic reserves, faculty and department Web pages and course management systems. University officials published the new document about six months after they were first contacted by AAP concerning alleged copyright violations.
“In April, I wrote to you about concerns that had been raised by the Association of American Publishers regarding what it perceived to be widespread copyright infringement at Cornell in connection with the provision of electronic course reading materials to students through electronic reserve reading and course web pages,” wrote Provost Biddy Martin in a memorandum to Cornell deans. “Since that time the University has sought to resolve this matter in a manner that protects the faculty’s legitimate interests while averting the threat of litigation.”
In a public release posted on AAP’s Web site last week, AAP President Patricia Schroeder stated the publishers represented by her organization are pleased with Cornell’s response to their concerns.
“AAP hopes that Cornell’s actions will set an example for other colleges and universities and provide them an opportunity to review their own practices and institute similar guidelines,” said Schroeder.
Copyright expert Lolly Gasaway, associate dean for academic affairs at the University of North Carollina, says she saw Cornell’s new guidelines and was pleased.
“I think the guidelines are extremely reasonable,” said Gasaway. “I was actually pretty happy with them.”
She predicted that Cornell’s work with the AAP will affect other colleges and universities and some will inevitably follow suit with similar guidelines.
