Text and images

Text and images are dealt with together because the Copyright Act treats them in a similar manner. In this guide, the word "text" covers literary works (except computer programs), dramatic works, and musical works in a notated format such as sheet music. The word "images" includes pictures, photos, drawings, graphs, diagrams, plans, and anything else that is an "artistic work" for the purposes of copyright.

Copying of text and images by educational institutions for educational purposes may be done under the statutory educational licence in the Copyright Act. This statutory licence applies to both print and electronic originals. However, it does not apply to material acquired under a licence agreement with the copyright owners.

Under the statutory licence, you may make hardcopy or digital reproductions, without seeking permission from the copyright owners, for the educational purposes of QUT. You may deliver the copied material online, in print format, on discs or other storage devices.

The Act specifies limits on the amount that may be copied and communicated and requires institutions to make a payment to copyright owners. QUT makes an annual payment to the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) based on an agreed rate per equivalent full-time student unit. The University participates in a sampling scheme whereby it undertakes to keep records of copying during sampling periods, which occur about every four years.

The definition of "educational purposes" is broad and includes, but is not limited to, use in connection with courses of study, administration that supports the educational activities of the University, and inclusion in the library collection.

Under this licence, you may reproduce, in general terms:

• 10% or one chapter of a book, whichever is the greater
• One article per issue of a periodical, or more if they are on the same specific topic
• The whole of a book that is not commercially available within a reasonable time
• Images, under certain conditions (see Images Copyright Considerations (PDF file, 1.7MB)).

Digital reproductions must have a copyright warning notice attached. The prescribed wording is available at Notices.

Online distribution

There are slightly different limits on what you can copy for online distribution compared with other forms of distribution.

Copying of materials from databases and electronic book or journal collections to which the Library subscribes (e.g. Proquest and ScienceDirect), is governed by licensing agreements between the Library and the database or journal provider. In general, these agreements do not permit you to make multiple print copies for teaching use; nor do they permit you to copy the file to another location for purposes of student access. Students must access the material through a direct link to the online resource.

If you want to put readings online for students, you must use QUT Readings. It is not permitted to post copyright material to school or faculty websites or to Canvas.