Using Virtual Campus

You are strongly encouraged to make use of the Library's Course Reserve Service, which includes the option for digital materials to be retrieved and made available to your students by the Library. Ares, the Library’s course reserve platform, provides a single point of access for all course materials; it can be accessed directly and, if the option is activated, through Virtual Campus as well.

You are also encouraged to use the Course Reserve Service and/or Virtual Campus instead of traditional print course packs. This helps lower student expenses and provides more convenient access, for a better overall student experience.

There is a wide range of material that you may provide to your students on Virtual Campus without any permission required. You are encouraged to make use of Library-licensed resources, materials not protected by copyright, materials available under Creative Commons and open access licences, and your own unpublished materials. Alternatively, you can also rely on any applicable Exceptions to copyright.

If you are unsure as to what you are permitted to do, remember that providing your students with a link to a legitimate source, which directs them to the material in question, is always permitted! For more information on creating persistent links, see Linking to full-text articles and e-books.

If you would like the Copyright Office to confirm that your selected materials are compliant with applicable rules and guidelines, or if you believe that any of your course materials may require a licence from a publisher or copyright holder, follow the steps below to submit a request for course content review.

1. Collect sources

Collect all sources and create a detailed list of all materials with precise source and description. If you require assistance with scanning materials, the University DocUcentre offers a scanning service.

Note: please make every effort to ensure that most, if not all, of your sources are Library-licensed, not protected by copyright, available under Creative Commons and open access licences, your own unpublished materials, or fall under an applicable exception to copyright.

2. Fill out form

Fill out the Copyright Materials Log (PDF, 634.5 KB). Please make sure to check the box ‘University online resource’ where applicable.

3. Submit course materials

Provide the materials, as well as the filled-out Copyright Materials Log to the Copyright Office. Please submit these by e-mail, SharePoint or via LiquidFiles to ddac@uottawa.ca.