ABSTRACT
Course reserve has always been a supplemental source of information for students. The materials placed on reserve are not intended to replace textbooks but to provide wider access to frequently used materials. Electronic reserve materials are varied. Some items may already be digitized, while others must be converted from analog to digital format. Some documents may be in the public domain, while authors or publishers hold the rights to others. The most critical consideration for materials to be included in course reserves, whether printed or electronic, is the determination of fair use. However, with permission or licensing, the scope and range of materials to be included are only limited by the copyright owners. The technology exists to restrict access to electronic reserve items even more stringently than printed course reserve materials in libraries. But there is considerable debate as to the applicability of printed guidelines for fair use of electronic materials. Copyright holders are concerned that more copies of a work are made in electronic systems, and there is no degradation of quality in the copies-all “copies” are essentially “masters.”
