Photocopying, Emailing, Making Course Packs, CD-ROMs, USBs, Training Manuals and PowerPoint Presentations

As a general rule for teaching students at VU, you may make multiple copies of:

• one chapter of a book, or 10% of the pages (10% of the words if the work is in electronic form).  Please note that the 10% of a book may be made up of smaller sections from different parts of the book.
• one article from a journal or newspaper (more if the articles are on the same subject matter in a special edition)
• 15 pages from an anthology (for example: a collection of short stories)
• (generally) all of an artistic work for example: a diagram or photo (You may copy any artistic work off the internet. You may copy all of an artistic work if it is illustrating some text you are copying. Otherwise, you may copy a work if you have firstly checked that it cannot be separately purchased in the format you require.)
• 10% of a sheet music piece
• 10% of a dramatic work, for example: a play or script

You may copy beyond these limits if:

• you are satisfied, after reasonable investigation, that copies (other than second-hand copies) of the work cannot be obtained within a reasonable time at an ordinary commercial price
• you get written permission from the copyright owner (This could be the writer, the publisher, or the web site owner)
• the copyright is owned by Victoria University
• the copyright has expired (Copyright protection generally lasts for 70 years after the death of the author or the date of the first publication/performance, whichever is the latter - see the duration table).

Make sure you always attribute the creator's work on the copy as you would when referencing material.

Please ensure that course packs (containing photocopied material) include the correct Copyright statement.  Also note that such packs must not be sold with the intention of making a profit.

Putting Material Online

The copying limits are the same as those listed above except that under the Copyright Act, at any time no more than one chapter of a particular book is permitted to be online at VU.  (An exception to this would be if two chapters added up to less than 10% of a particular book.)

Please do not put any print and graphic material on WebCT (though you may place a link through from WebCT to material on E-Reserve).

Using Material from Library Databases

If you wish to make multiple photocopies of material from a database for your teaching or use the material for course packs, ask E-Reserve to check for you the terms of the individual database agreement.

Copyright Material from the Internet

However, if you wish to photocopy, print the material or make an electronic copy, remember that just because material on the internet is freely available, doesn't mean that you may simply copy it.  Use the same limits listed above. 

You can also check for any copyright statement on the web site about using material.  Some sites allow more generous copying such as those marked: "Creative Commons".

Making Exams

There are no restrictions on how much material you can copy for making exams.  Please ensure that you properly attribute the source. 

Note that this freedom to copy for exams applies to material used for formal tests only.  So care must be taken when using any past exam for a classroom or study exercise (such as placing an exam online).  Please check that any copying of material for that exam did not exceed the normal limits listed above.

Adapting Material

You may adapt print and graphic material for teaching at VU.  The same restrictions apply as for copying material.  (For example, a total of 10% of the pages can be adapted from different parts of a book.)

Importantly when you adapt a work, you must respect the moral rights of the original writer.  This means that in adapting material, you must not distort the original material in such a way that the original writer could take offence.  If this could be the case, then written permission is needed from the original writer to adapt the work.

As you would if you had copied the material, make sure you properly acknowledge the source.   Use the words: "adapted from...".

If the adaptation is part of a training manual or course pack, please include the correct Copyright statement.  When placing the material online, you will need to include the VB Copyright warning notice.  However, if you have adapted only a paragraph or two, you do not require the notice (as this is considered to be an insubstantial portion).

Normally, a "reasonable portion" is seen as:

• one chapter of a book, or 10% of the pages (10% of the words if the work is in electronic form).  Please note that the 10% of a book may be made up of smaller sections from different parts of the book.
• one article from a journal or newspaper (more if the articles are for the same research or course of study)
• all of an artistic work, for example: a diagram or photo (if the work is illustrating the text you are copying or the work is not available for separate purchase)
• 10% of a sheet music piece
• 10% of a dramatic work, for example: a play or script

Any copying beyond these limits may be deemed as fair when taking into consideration the following factors:

• the purpose and character of the dealing
• the nature of the work or adaptation
• the possibility of obtaining the work or adaptation within a reasonable time at an ordinary commercial price
• the effect of the dealing upon the potential market for, or the value of, the work or adaptation
• in the case where only part of the work or adaptation is copied – the amount and substantiality of the part copied taken in relation to the whole work or adaptation.

Alternatively, you may make copy the entire work if:

• you get written permission from the copyright owner (This could be the writer, the publisher or the web site owner)
• the copyright is owned by Victoria University
• the copyright has expired (Copyright protection generally lasts for 70 years after the death of the author or the date of the first publication/performance, whichever is the latter - see the duration table).

Copying from Library Databases

These are covered by individual licences.  Generally these databases allow the copying limits listed above (but always check the terms of the individual database agreement).  Please note that the licences prohibit any systematic downloading and printing of significant amounts of material.

Copying Material from the Internet

Just because material on the internet is freely available, doesn't mean that you may simply copy it.  Use the same limits listed above.  You can also check for any copyright statement on the web site about using material.  Some sites allow more generous copying such as those marked: "Creative Commons".

• look at the detailed guidelines on our Copyright website
• book into a Copyright training session
• contact VU's Copyright Officer on 9919 4480 or antony.ley@vu.edu.au

• Copyright and Print & Graphic Material Guide

Disclaimer:  This information is provided for guidance only.  For legal advice regarding Copyright law, please contact the Legal Services Department at VU.