Yes, all information recorded in an electronic/digital format, including CD-ROMs, online databases, floppy disks, computer programs, web pages etc. is protected by copyright.

Downloading, printing, scanning and storing material may infringe the copyright of the rights holders.

More specifically:

• The CLA scanning licence covers copying from print materials owned by the University into an electronic format. Digital copies of book chapters and journal articles can be created on the behalf of a tutor and accessed by students via modules in X-stream. See the guidelines: Scanning print materials for X-stream, or contact the Digitisation Service.
• An individual can copy part of an electronic publication on to a disk (accessible by a single user, not networked) or print one copy on to paper under fair dealing, for example for non-commercial research or private study.
• Multiple copies or copies for teaching are not covered by fair dealing, neither is posting part or all of an electronic publication on to a network or website.
• Such activities may, however, be covered by a licence agreement, but it is advisable to check the terms and conditions in order to avoid infringement.
• Scanning a printed article or an insubstantial part of a printed work may be acceptable as fair dealing if, for example, the extract is scanned on to a personal computer for project or course work. It would be an infringement to scan a work to place it on to a network or the web, and the rights holder should be contacted for permission.
• Although information from the internet may be free to access, it does not follow that the material is copyright free. Unless the website contains a specific copyright waiver covering your intended usage, the Webmaster or equivalent should be contacted for copyright clearance beyond a single, fair dealing copy.
• Be careful when creating a link to an external website. Some sites prefer you to ask for their permission first and it is always good practice to link to the home page. Check any terms and conditions on the site for a linking policy. If you wish to create a deep link into a site it is always best to seek permission in advance from the Webmaster or site.

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