Q. How does Gutman Library fulfill requests for required course materials?

Gutman Library’s ability to fulfill faculty requests for required course materials depends on:

• what purchasing options publishers provide to libraries
• how appropriately Gutman can exercise copyright and fair use principles
• the format of the required course material

The following procedure details how Gutman Library reviews requests for required course materials and makes content available in the Canvas Library Reserve Tool. If you want to learn more about requesting course materials, please see our guide on placing materials on Course Reserves.

Book Chapters

• If 20% or more of a book is assigned (e.g., 20 or more pages of a 100-page book), Gutman Library will consider the entire book a required material for purposes of purchasing or licensing content – see Books below.
• If less than 20% of a book is assigned, and Harvard University:
  • Currently owns the book in electronic form, Gutman Library will provide a link to the e-book in the Canvas Library Reserves reading list
  • Does not own the book in electronic form, if available, Gutman Library will obtain unlimited access ebook and provide link in the Canvas Library Reserves reading list
  • Does not currently own the book electronically or in print, a digital copy of the required book chapter is typically requested from an outside partner library/institution. When received, Gutman Library will upload the book chapter to the Canvas Library Reserves reading list.

Journal Articles

• If the journal article comes from a journal Harvard University currently subscribes to in:
  • Electronic form, Gutman library will provide a link to the journal article in Canvas Library Reserves reading list
  • Print form, and the journal can be accessed, the article will be scanned, and Gutman Library will upload to Canvas Library Reserves reading list
  • If the journal article comes from a journal Harvard University does not subscribe to, electronically or in print, a digital copy of that article is typically requested from an outside partner library/institution. When received, Gutman Library will upload the journal article to the Canvas Library Reserves reading list.

Books

• Required books will only be purchased or licensed in digital format.
• Gutman Library pursues purchasing required books at a minimum enrollment ratio of 1 copy per 15 students to support equitable, supplemental access to required materials.
• Gutman Library prioritizes purchase of unlimited-user e-books for required titles.
• When publishers do not offer unlimited-user e-books, Gutman Library will
  • Scan copies of the book from Gutman Library or Harvard Library’s print collection to provide limited-user, limited-time access to copies of the title.
• All e-books and digital scans of physical books, will be linked to in the appropriate Canvas Library Reserves reading list.

Multimedia

• Required multimedia (e.g., films, testing materials, etc.) will only be purchased or licensed in digital format.
• Gutman Library pursues purchasing or licensing required multimedia at a minimum enrollment ratio of 1 copy per 15 students to support equitable, supplemental access to required materials.
• Gutman Library prioritizes purchase of unlimited-user streaming multimedia for required titles.
• When production companies or other vendors do not offer unlimited-user streaming multimedia, Gutman Library will work with faculty and teaching teams to explore other options.