WUR Library

Copyright in teaching materials

This page explains how teachers can use copyrighted materials in a Brightspace course, in a reader or MOOC.

For more information about who owns the copyright on educational materials, MOOCs, video recordings of lectures, presentations, ceremonies, or BSc and MSc theses, see the page Ownership & Licenses.


WUR teachers develop teaching materials for both WUR and non-WUR students (e.g. in MOOCs). When teachers publish educational resources on a Learning Environment like Brightspace or in a reader for WUR students, they must follow Dutch copyright law and Copyright agreements with publishers. The most important agreement is the Easy Access agreement. The Easy Access agreement does not apply to MOOCs. Teachers may not use copyrighted materials in a MOOC, unless the materials’ copyright owner has granted written permission.

A flowchart has been developed to help WUR teachers choose the right option when sharing copyrighted material in Brightspace.

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What is the Easy Access agreement?


According to Dutch copyright law, if you do not own a work’s copyright, you cannot use this material in your work. However, the law does have exceptions, such as the right to cite and reference and the right to use copyright protected material for non-commercial education.

Copyrighted material may be used for non-commercial education only when a part or parts of the protected material are used and when the copyright owner is reasonably compensated for use. To efficiently use copyright protected material, Stichting UvO, representing publishers, and the UNL, representing Dutch universities, have a standing agreement (the Easy Access agreement) that allows WUR to use copyrighted material in exchange for an annual lump-sum payment.

This Easy Access agreement allows teachers to use a maximum of 40 pages and not more than 20% of a complete book or journal issue in a Brightspace course or in a reader. However, WUR policy requires teachers to provide a hyperlink to the material when possible. The Easy Access Agreement does not apply to MOOCs.

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What is the current policy of Wageningen University & Research?


Although WUR pays to use parts of copyright protected material through the Easy Access agreement, WUR policy requires teachers to provide hyperlinks to documents instead of uploading a PDF with the full text when possible. Linking to copyrighted material is free when the materials are made available with the copyright owner’s consent. This policy reduces the annual fee that WUR has to pay to use copyrighted material. This fee is based on actual use.

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Can I share copyrighted materials in Brightspace as a PDF?


Sharing a PDF in Brightspace is not always allowed. WUR recommends using a hyperlink to a document whenever possible. A flowchart has been developed to help WUR teachers choose the right option when sharing copyright protected material in Brightspace.

flowchart Brightspace.png


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Which options do I have when I want to use copyrighted material on Brightspace or in a reader?


In short, teachers have the following three options when they want to use copyrighted materials in their Brightspace course or in a reader:

  1. In a Brightspace course, provide a hyperlink to the copyrighted material. This is current WUR policy.
  2. If the material does not have a hyperlink, teachers may use a maximum of 40 pages and not more than 20% of a complete book or journal issue per Brightspace course or per reader.
  3. If teachers need to use more than 40 pages or 20% of a book or journal issue, teachers have a few options described below.

A flowchart has been developed to help WUR teachers choose the right option when sharing copyright protected material in Brightspace.

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What materials can I use on Brightspace or in my readers?


Linking to copyrighted material is always allowed if the copyright owner has made the material available. WUR policy urges teachers to provide hyperlinks to the material instead of uploading the full-text of the material. See How can I correctly link to copyright protected material? for information on what kind of links you can use.

Books

If the library subscribes to an eBook, use the link to the ebook in Brightspace. The subscription often does not allow sharing a PDF in Brightspace.
If linking is not possible, teachers may use a maximum of 40 pages and not more than 20% of the complete book in their Brightspace course or in a reader. The limit applies to the total book, not to each individual chapter. Teachers may use more than one book per course. Open Access material may be made publicly available on Brightspace under the same conditions as regular material. When using books, teachers need to acknowledge the sources by correct citing and referencing.

Journal articles

If the library subscribes to the journal, use the link to the article in Brightspace. The subscription often does not allow sharing a PDF in Brightspace. Open Access material may be made publicly available on Brightspace under the same conditions as regular material. Only articles with a Creative Commons licence that allows sharing, can be shared as a PDF in Brightspace. When using journal articles, teachers need to acknowledge the sources by correct citing and referencing. If the previous options are not possible, teachers may use a maximum of 40 pages and not more than 20% of the journal issue in their Brightspace course or in a reader.

Images or graphs


Teachers may use a maximum of 25 images/tables/figures from one book or journal issue and a maximum 10 works from the same creator. Open Access material may be made publicly available on Brightspace under the same conditions as regular material. The sources need to be acknowledged by correct citing and referencing.

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What should I do when I want to use more than 'Stichting UvO' allows?


If teachers need to use more than 40 pages or 20% of a book or journal issue, teachers have several options:

  1. Hyperlink to the copyrighted material on a website where the material is placed with the consent of the copyright owner, when possible. This is the current WUR policy;
  2. Ask the copyright owners for permission to use the material (ask CIP for assistance);
  3. Search for an open access alternative for your material;
  4. Ask WUR Library if a journal subscription allows the use of these larger portions;
  5. Ask WUR Library to buy the book;
  6. Ask students to buy the book;
  7. Ask the CIP to request permission from Stichting UvO to use the material. This option will incur costs.

If you need assistance with one of these options, please contact the Copyright Information Point (CIP).

    If a teacher needs more than the maximum of 25 images/tables/figures from one book or journal issue, the teacher should request written permission from the publisher. Please save a copy of the written permission when you receive it.


    The Easy Access agreement offers the advantage that ‘Stichting UvO’ negotiates with publishers when needed. Teachers are, however, allowed to ask the copyright owners for permission to use the material. Teachers may also ask the CIP to request permission for them. If you, as a teacher, are asking permission yourself, please be aware that all copyright owners need to be asked for permission, that authors are not necessarily the material’s copyright owners, and that permission must be granted in writing. Remember to save a copy of the written permission.

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    May I use my own material for my readers?


    Yes, you may use your own publications, unless copyright has been transferred or exclusively licensed to a third party without the right to use this material for education. In that case, the Easy Access agreement applies as well. In the case of a co-authored publication of which the authors own the copyright, you need permission from all the copyright owners to use the material. Remember to save a copy of the written permission.

    Some journals allow the following versions of a manuscript to be published in a reader or on Brightspace: pre-prints (accepted but not peer reviewed version), post-prints (accepted and peer reviewed versions) or publisher versions (accepted publisher version). See the website of Open Policy Finder (formerly SHERPA/RoMEO) for the publisher policies per journal.

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    May I share library materials with students?


    WUR Library subscribes to several e-journals and e-books. Teachers should provide a hyperlink to this material when possible. If WUR Library does not subscribe to an e-journal and only a print journal or a print book is available, teachers should comply with the Easy Access agreement.

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    May I publish Open Access material on Brightspace?


    Unless explicit permission is given for reuse, Open Access material may not be published elsewhere. Open Access material is freely available for everyone, but this does not automatically allow sharing the material. Linking to Open Access material is always possible.

    Open Access material might come with a Creative Commons Licence (CC-licence). All material published with a CC-licence may be included in your teaching material in full. Please check the conditions of use of CC-licensed material before usage.

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    1. Links to websites with material that is made available with the owner's permission. As a teacher, you cannot promote the use of illegal copies. Illegal copies are difficult to recognise, though so at least refrain from the obvious ones on pirate sites.
    2. Stables links, such as DOI links. URLs on a publisher's website tend to change regularly. A DOI link follows these changes and ususally redirects to the correct URL. Not having to repair broken links every year will save you time.
    3. EZproxy links. An EXproxy link guarantees easy off-campus access to library sources because it prompts students to log in. Using this link is not only a kind gesture to your students but also lowers the hurdle for students to come to class prepared. We recommend using EZproxy in combination with a DOI link.


    A DOI link consists of two components:
    http://doi.org/ + a DOI (e.g. 10.1038/nature12251) = http://doi.org/10.1038/nature12251

    The DOI or DOI link can usually be found on the first page of a journal article or an e-book chapter, on a publisher’s website, or in the record of a publication in a database like Scopus.


    To create an EZproxy link, you have to add the following URL in front of a normal URL: http://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/rduser/ezproxy?url=


    A full EZproxylink will look like this:
    http://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/rduser/ezproxy?url=http://doi.org/10.1038/nature12251


    On campus, students can directly access the article if the Library subscribes to the journal. When off campus, students will be prompted to log in with their WUR account, after which they will have access.

    How do I instruct my students in off-campus access to library sources?


    If students need to use library sources off campus, they need to be recognized by the library system as Wageningen University students. Logging in on Brightspace is not enough to get library access. A log-in to the library website is required as well.

    For easy off-campus access, you can give your students one or more of the following instructions:

    1. Install the Lean Library browser extension. This allows you to always access material the WUR has a license to.
    2. Go to library website, log in and find what you are looking for.



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    How to use copyrighted material in a MOOC?


    As a MOOC educates non-WUR students, the Easy Access agreement does not apply. A MOOC is freely available on the internet and can be followed by anyone. As such, teachers may not use copyrighted materials in a MOOC, unless the materials’ copyright owner has granted written permission. Instead of copyrighted materials, teachers can use free access and/or Open Access materials.

    Free access materials


    Some subscription-based journals make their articles freely available for anyone to use after one or two years. You may use this free access material but only by providing a hyperlink to the material.

    Open Access materials


    Open Access materials are freely available on the internet, but this does not automatically allow sharing the material. Open Access material comes in different forms and sometimes the material has a Creative Commons Licence. The form of Open Access or the kind of Creative Commons Licence determines whether the material can be used in a MOOC.

    Click here to find tips to find free access materials.

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    Last updated on 02/05/2024.