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Collection Policies: Database Usage

Database Usage Guidelines

The Watzek Library contracts with many vendors and publishers to provide our patrons with hundreds of electronic resources, in the form of databases and electronic journals. These resources are for the use of currently-enrolled L&C students and currently employed L&C faculty and staff. In addition to paying for these resources, the Library typically negotiates license agreements that stipulate how and by whom they may be used. If license terms are violated by anyone, licensors usually have the right to temporarily suspend access for the entire community. In some cases, licenses can be permanently revoked.

Usually Acceptable:

  • Making limited print or electronic copies (such as single articles)
  • Using databases for personal, instructional or research needs
  • Sharing information from databases with L&C faculty, staff and students
  • Posting links to specific content

Usually Not Acceptable:

  • Systematic or substantial printing, copying or downloading (such as an entire journal issue or book)
  • Selling or re-distributing content, or providing it to an outside employer
  • Sharing database content or services with people other than L&C faculty, staff and students
  • Posting actual content or articles to web sites, listservs, or other media
  • Modifying, altering, or creating derivative works from L&C-licensed databases

Grey Areas:

  • Some resources allow inclusion for electronic reserves, course packs, and multiple copies for classroom use and interlibrary lending. Others explicitly forbid one or more of these activities.

If you have a question regarding a database subscription, please check with a librarian or call us at 503-768-7285