Welcome, new instructors!

[Updated: 27 May 2025]

The Copyright Office is a source of information and guidance for the University of Alberta community on issues related to copyright.

For instructors new to the U of A, we have a couple of recommendations.

First, be sure to familiarize yourself with the University of Alberta's UAPPOL Use of Copyright Materials Policy and Procedure, and the For Instructors section of this website. For a quick reference on copyright issues related to the classroom and teaching, see Copyright in the Classroom.

Second, know your options when distributing course materials to your students. The 3-step summary on our Do your course materials need a copyright review? page will help you to determine if a copyright review is required for your selected materials. In brief:

• Are you using an LMS, such as Canvas?
  • For materials available through the Library, you can create LMS-compatible course reading lists to link students to ebooks and other subscription eresources, and/or to open educational resources.
  • For other materials, if they are within the limits of the University of Alberta Fair Dealing Guidelines they do not require a specific copyright review.
• Are you using a print course package?
  • All print course packages are subject to review by the Copyright Office. See Requesting a Copyright Review and complete the Copyright Review Request Form. We recommend submitting your request 6-8 weeks prior to the start of your course.
• Will you be showing films or displaying images in the classroom?
  • The Teaching Materials page provides information and guidelines for the use and display of copyright-protected content. See Showing Movies and Using Images for additional information.