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 href="http://web.mit.edu/ctc/www/copyrighttutorial.htm">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 ( href="http://web.mit.edu/ctc/www/coursereader.htm">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.