Library Resources Use Policy

1. Purpose

This policy governs access to and use of the library’s curated collection of open access (OA) resources and open educational resources (OER), which are freely available digital materials designed to support teaching, learning, research, and knowledge sharing without subscription barriers. It promotes the principles of openness, reusability, and equitable access while respecting creator rights under applicable open licenses.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all users accessing the Library’s curated OA and OER collections, including open-access journals, books, datasets, textbooks, courseware, and multimedia, available via the Library’s discovery tools, repositories, or direct links, from any location.

3. Authorized Users

All users worldwide are authorized to access the Library’s OA and OER collections without restriction, as these resources are publicly available by design. Priority support services (e.g., consultations, tutorials) are provided to:

• Currently enrolled students.
• Current faculty (full-time, part-time, adjunct).
• Current administrative and support staff.

No login or authentication is required for access.

4. Access Methods

Resources are accessed openly via public URLs, the Library’s website, search tools, or integrated platforms without barriers like paywalls, proxies, or VPNs. The Library provides guidance, metadata, and curation to enhance discoverability but does not impose technical access controls.

5. Permitted Uses

Users may engage in the following, subject to the specific open license (e.g., Creative Commons) for each resource:

• View, search, download, print, and save content for personal, educational, or research purposes.
• Use, remix, adapt, and redistribute content (including for teaching, course creation, or derivative works), with proper attribution as required by the license.
• Incorporate OER into learning management systems, course packs, or open repositories for non-commercial educational use.
• Share links or copies with colleagues, students, or the public, provided license terms are followed.

Common licenses like CC BY, CC BY-SA, and CC BY-NC permit broad reuse; always check the specific license statement on the resource.

6. Prohibited Uses

Even with open resources, the following are not permitted:

• Uses beyond the scope of the resource’s open license (e.g., violating “No Derivatives” [ND] or “Non-Commercial” [NC] restrictions without permission).
• Removing or obscuring attribution, license notices, or disclaimers.
• Commercial exploitation where prohibited by the license (e.g., reselling unmodified CC BY-NC content).
• Illegal activities, such as plagiarism or unauthorized claims of ownership.

Users are responsible for verifying and complying with the exact license terms for each item.

7. Copyright and Licensing Compliance

OA and OER are governed by their stated open licenses (e.g., Creative Commons) rather than restrictive vendor agreements. The Library encourages adherence to the 5R framework for OER (Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix, Redistribute) where applicable. For uses exceeding standard open permissions, users should contact the creator or rights holder directly; the Library can assist with guidance.

8. Privacy and Security

No user authentication is required, so no personal login data is collected for access. Aggregated, anonymous usage analytics may be gathered to evaluate collection impact and improve curation, in line with institutional privacy standards.

9. Support and Responsibilities

The Library offers guidance on finding, evaluating, attributing, and adapting OA/OER via tutorials, consultations, and LibGuides. Faculty and students are encouraged to adopt OER to reduce costs and enhance access; the Library supports OER creation and integration into courses. Users must provide proper attribution and license disclosure when reusing content.

10. Review and Updates

This policy will be reviewed every three years or as needed to reflect evolving open access practices, new licensing norms, or community feedback. Updates will be posted on the Library website.