scales of justice balancing copyright and academic freedom

Librarian explains impact of York copyright decision on University of Windsor

Following the Federal Court of Canada’s July 12 decision on the lawsuit between Access Copyright and York University, the University of Windsor is reviewing its practices and ensuring alignment with Fair Dealing, says Pascal Calarco.

The court ruled in favour of Access Copyright in its lawsuit against York University, which centred on two issues:

  1. whether the interim tariff paid to Access Copyright is mandatory and enforceable against York, and
  2. whether York’s Fair Dealing guidelines were actually “fair” when applied.

Calarco, the university librarian and copyright officer, says the library will continue to monitor the case as it unfolds, and will continue to provide assistance to help instructors understand what they can and cannot do with copyrighted works.

“We strongly encourage faculty to be vigilant with their use of copyright material in their courses,” he says. “We urge them to make use of our course reserve system, which will provide links for any copyrighted readings or course materials that can be placed directly into BlackBoard, ensuring that all copyright rules and guidelines are properly followed.”

For more information on the University of Windsor’s Fair Dealing guidelines, see the Leddy Library’s Copyright Guidelines and Requirements page.