Library Resources in Online/Distance Classes

Articles from Online Databases

Permalinks, or permanent URLs are the best way to share articles from databases. These links ensure that your students will always be able to access the articles you chose. Each database places the permalink in a different place. You may need to look for the share icon to find it, or look for the words "stable URL." If you ever can't locate the permalink, Ask the Library for help!

Articles not Available through UD Databases

If you'd like to include an article not available in UD collections, you may want to see if the article is available Open Access by using the UnPaywall or OpenAccess browser buttons. If you find an open access copy of the article, you can add it to Course Reserve using the e-reserves form. Ask the Library can help with this!

If you can't find an open access copy, you can also have your students request the article individually through interlibrary loan. Provide them with a full citation, a link to interlibrary loan, and add the instructions for using interlibrary loan to your Canvas course.

You may be wondering why you can't just request one copy through interlibrary loan add a copy it to your Canvas course as a PDF? Well, the main reason is because of licensing agreements. Interlibrary Loan works through agreements with other libraries around the world. These agreements mean that we can get you almost anything you want, with the understanding that it's only for personal use. These licensing agreements supersede the fair use provision of copyright law. You can read more about these requirements on the copyright guide.

Streaming Media

The library provides access to a growing number of streaming media databases.  Many of these databases include powerful features that can help you to create clips and playlists which you can share in Canvas. Check out this guide on adding streaming media to your canvas course. You may also want to review our Media & Copyright page.

Print Materials 

Print materials can be added to your courses through course reserves. While this doesn't make them available online, you can post the course materials list in Canvas which links students directly to all the details for their course materials along with how to access them through the library. You just need to fill out the On-Site Reserves Online Submissions Form.

Book Chapters

For book chapters available through our collections, you can make a digital scan of the chapter you're assigning using the scanners in the area near the reference collection on the first floor of the library. From there, you can add the PDF chapter to your Electronic Course Reserves using the e-reserves online submission form. 

For book chapters not available in our collection, you'll provide students with a full citation, a link to interlibrary loan, and add the instructions for using interlibrary loan to your Canvas course. Our interlibrary team will typically only fill requests for one chapter of a book or one article from a single issue of a journal in order to comply with fair use guidelines.

Keep in mind that the course reserve team does a copyright check for all course reserve items. You may be wondering why you can't just add it to your Canvas course as a PDF? Course reserves helps us understand how our collections are being used which can help us make collection decisions in the future. Providing access through course reserves also complies with our licensing agreements. 

Copyright Considerations

See the UD Library's copyright guide, which includes the fair use checklist.  If you do decide to include something in full within Canvas and you wish to make a fair use argument for that item, we recommend that you fill out a checklist for that item in order to capture your rationale for how your use falls under fair use.