Canadian Association of Research Libraries releases copyright resources for universities

December 17, 2020, Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) has today released a new Open Educational Resource, “Copyright for University Instructors and Staff. In a series of seven short self-directed modules, university employees are guided through instructional videos and brief quizzes that will help them navigate the complexities of copyright law in Canada.   

“Understanding copyright is a critical component of teaching and learning in higher education,” CARL Executive Director Susan Haigh stated. “This set of modules gives universities across Canada an alternative to in-person copyright education, allowing them to more easily educate individuals who are working off-campus or who cannot attend a live instructional session.”

Contents of the modules are licensed using a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. For universities considering adopting or adapting this course, an implementation guide is available here: https://www.carl-abrc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Implementation_guide.pdf.

“The fact that all course content is being made available using a Creative Commons license is a significant benefit to universities,” said Carol Shepstone, Chair of the CARL Public Policy committee and Chief Librarian at Ryerson University, “This means that universities can easily adapt—and build upon—these modules to ensure that they meet the specific needs of their instructors.”

CARL is the voice of Canada’s research libraries. Our members include Canada’s 29 largest university libraries and two federal institutions. CARL enhances its members’ capacity to advance research and higher education; promotes effective and sustainable knowledge creation, dissemination, and preservation; and advocates for public policy that enables broad access to scholarly information.

For more information

Katherine McColgan
Manager, Administration and Programs