Creating print course packs

A print course pack comprises a compilation of excerpts of different works to be used as required or supplementary readings by students enrolled in a course of instruction. You are 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.

Should you choose to create a print course pack, 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materials not protected by copyright, materials available under Creative Commons and open access licences, and your own unpublished materials.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.

To create a course pack, follow the steps below:

1. Collect sources

Collect all sources, print specific page ranges required, organize documents in desired order, and create index.

2. Check copyright

Determine which sources are likely protected by copyright. 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are Library-licensed, not protected by copyright, available under Creative Commons and open access licences, your own unpublished materials, or fall under an applicable exception to copyright.

3. Check licences

For any materials obtained in electronic format from the Library catalogue, check to ensure that the University’s licence does not prohibit reproduction of the materials in a course pack – see Licence look-up tutorial. If so, these may not be used.

4. Fill-out forms

Fill-out the Copyright Materials Log (PDF, 634.5KB) as well as the docUcentre's Request for Reproduction of a Course Pack (PDF, 77.6KB).

5. Submit materials

Bring your printed sources, as well as the filled-out PDFs, to the DocUcentre. Should you wish to discuss the content of your course pack, please contact the Copyright Office.

If the exact same course pack was used for a previous semester, all you need to do is fill out the DocUcentre's Request for Reproduction of a Course Pack (PDF, 77.6KB) (must provide the section, semester and year) and e-mail it to the Copyright Office.