15 September 2025

As a lecturer, you want to provide students with easy access to the required literature. However, please note there are rules for sharing copyright-protected materials in Brightspace. Improper sharing may result in additional costs for the faculty. This guide explains how to correctly provide students with access to (excerpts from) articles and books. 

First choice: Sharing by linking to literature

Whenever possible, avoid reproducing content by linking to the literature instead. This is easier than you might think! There are several ways to link to articles:

• Use open access publications as much as possible. Tools such as Open Access Button and Unpaywall can help you find open versions of existing publications.
• Linking directly to the publication platform is the easiest option for students. By adding the UBL proxy, students can log in with their ULCN credentials and access or download the publication, if permitted. This requires the publication to have a persistent link, such as a DOI or handle.
• If no persistent link is available, linking to the desired article, chapter, or e-book in the catalogue is a good alternative to ensure students can still access the material.
• A final alternative is a (digital) course reserve shelf. This library service allows you to gather all required reading materials for your course in one place. For books and journals not available digitally, this is a physical shelf in the library; for digital publications, it is a link to the item in the catalogue.

Second Choice: Sharing via the Easy Access Agreement

If linking to the literature is not possible, you may share reproductions under the rules of the Easy Access Agreement (EAR). The EAR regulates the reuse of third-party copyright-protected material and the associated compensation. It is an agreement between Stichting UvO and UNL, under which universities and faculties pay an annual fee to cover reuse.

In short, the reuse rules are as follows:
Stichting UvO distinguishes between short, medium-length, and long reproductions. Short and medium-length reproductions fall under the EAR; long reproductions do not. The page rate for medium-length reproductions is higher than for short ones.

• A short reproduction is up to 8,000 words for an article and 10,000 words for a book excerpt. This translates to a maximum of 25 pages.
• A medium-length reproduction exceeds 8,000 words for an article. For books of 200 pages or more, the upper limit is now 40 pages (previously 50).
• For books under 200 pages, the limit is 20% of the total page count (previously 25%).

A detailed explanation of the EAR is available on the website of the Leiden University Libraries.

Long Reproductions

Would you still like to upload more than 40 pages of a book to Brightspace? Be aware that the costs for long reproductions can be high, and you may need prior approval from your institute. Therefore, it is strongly advised to link to articles or share via the EAR and avoid long reproductions.

If a long reproduction is necessary, you must request permission in advance from Stichting UvO via a dedicated portal. You log in using a registration number available from the University Services Department (UFB). You will need to provide details such as the publication information, number of pages, and number of students per course ID. Stichting UvO will then issue a separate invoice for the reproduction based on their rates.

More Information

Each Brightspace module includes a link to the webpage Copyright for Lecturers, where you can find all information and rules regarding the use of copyright-protected materials.

The university library supports lecturers in matters of copyright. The UBL website provides information on copyright.

Still have questions? Contact the Copyright Information Point via auteursrecht@library.leidenuniv.nl or reach out to ECOLe via ecole@hum.leidenuniv.nl.