Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources Policy
The University of Miami Libraries contract with a variety of vendors and publishers to provide users with thousands of electronic resources (databases, e-books, e-journals, etc.) costing millions of dollars per year.
In addition to paying for these resources, the Libraries typically negotiate license agreements that stipulate how and by whom they may be used. If license terms are violated, licensors usually have the right to temporarily suspend access for the entire university community. In some cases, licenses can be permanently revoked.
You can help prevent problems with our electronic resource providers by adhering to “good practice” and avoiding improper use. Here are some good rules of thumb:
| ACCEPTABLE | NOT ACCEPTABLE |
|---|---|
| Making limited print or electronic copies (such as single articles) | Systematic or substantial printing, copying or downloading (such as entire journal issues or books) |
| Using for personal, instructional or research needs | Selling or re-distributing content, or providing it to an employer (this includes a co-op employer) |
| Sharing with current UM faculty, staff and students | Sharing with people other than current UM faculty, staff and students |
| Posting links to specific content | Posting actual content or articles to web sites or listservs |
| Modifying, altering, or creating derivative works |
Always acknowledge your source on any published or unpublished document when you use data found on electronic resources.
Gray Areas
Some resources allow inclusion for electronic reserves, course packs, and multiple copies for classroom use and interlibrary lending. Others explicitly forbid one or more of these activities. Individual licenses and copyright law (Title 17, US Code) are more specific than these guidelines.
A Librarian