Some online companies support the building of course packs of readings for students without faculty members having to do the legwork of pursuing intellectual property (copyright) releases themselves.
One such is University Readers, which offers an online library of readings that instructors may choose from. The staff will also help faculty who have their own preferred lists of contents by pursuing the copyright releases and then packaging the copyright-release costs into the costs of the course packs. University Readers may be accessed at www.universityreaders.com. University Readers also creates digital packs and text books.
Under the middle tab “Build your Project,” go to Course Pack. The web address is www.universityreaders.com/coursepacks.
You will be asked to compile your readers, place an order, and then submit the materials. The course packs may be delivered in print form or in PDF form.
Other online services that offer course-pack compilation include:
- XanEdu (www.xanedu.com)
- Copyright Clearance Center (www.copyright.com)
- Zip Publishing’s Course Packets.net (www.coursepackets.net)
Some universities and university bookstores may also offer this service. Stanford University Libraries’ Copyright & Fair Use webpage offers an overview of course packs and copyright issues. This site makes the point that faculty who pursue their own copyright releases may save their students costs. They offer practical suggestions on how to obtain permissions for works from publishers. They also offer a “Coursepack Permission Request” form and a sample “Coursepack Permission Agreement”.
Note: This article does not endorse the use of any particular service but is informational only.
