Course Reader Services Expanded

A course reader is a compilation of different materials chosen by a professor and assembled into a paper “book” that students can purchase as reference for a particular subject. MIT's Copy Technology Centers (CTC) are now offering expanded and simplified course reader services to instructional staff and students. Students can now purchase course readers online, and for faculty there is a more efficient course reader request process as well as a copyright clearance tutorial to guide them through the process for materials that are not pre-authorized.

“Instant” Copyright Permission from Expanded Database

The CTC has provided course material for students for many years. Now, a new course content database not only stores the articles that comprise the course reader but also the images associated with the material, which allows - CTC staff to assemble the readers more quickly and efficiently.. Copyright information for the articles is stored with the document and this vastly reduces the length of time needed to get copyright clearance. The new database connects directly to the national Copyright Clearance Center, which provides instant copyright clearance for thousands of "pre-authorized" titles.

The database also makes it easier to reuse materials. If a professor wants to use last semester's material with a few changes, the archived course bundle can be quickly retrieved, modified, and sent to the CTC printers. A twenty-four hour turnaround time on readers that have been sold out has reduced paper waste and increased department satisfaction.

Harvard Business School Cases Included

The CTC has expanded its relationship with Harvard Business School Publishing (HBSP) and now its course content database has all the Harvard Business School case collection, as well as other business school case material distributed through them. This has been a time- and money-saver for the faculty and students who use HBSP teaching material in their courses. Reduced rate agreements with HBSP and other publishers make the CTC Copyright Service cost effective. The CTC hopes to import more collections into the content database in the future.

Purchase Online

The CTC has improved the distribution of course readers through its a new online storefront. After selling course readers to "Distance Learning" students, the CTC has. made all course readers available through. its storefront.. Course readers can be purchased online via the “Readers Available” link (http://web.mit.edu/ctc/www/coursereader.htm).

The storefront was developed in conjunction with MIT Information Services and Technology (IS&T). Distance learning students can have their readers shipped via DHL and local students can pick up their readers on campus at either E52-045 or 11-004. Although students must still pick up their course readers, the online ordering has eliminated the long lines at the start of each semester.

For more information about this service contact the Copyright Administrator, Donna Mulholland, donnamul@mit.edu, 617. 258.5275.