Since my post in April on scanning up to 50% of a print text for Learn, there has been discussion about scanning more than 50%.

CLNZ have endorsed scanning up to 50% and stated that this “will last for the duration of the emergency measures being taken to prevent the spread of COVID19 and must be taken down once the emergency is over and teaching returns to normal”.  This statement is not crystal clear in terms of each Covid-19 alert level and what “teaching returns to normal” will look like but the clear expectation is that this access is temporary.

Scanning more than 50% has not been explicitly agreed by CLNZ.  At UC we have gone over the 50% limit in some cases where we have needed to because of the exceptional circumstances being in Level 4 lockdown and now Level 3.  Scanning more than 50% is a risk the university is taking and so we wish to be fairly quiet about advertising it to minimize the uptake, are keen to ensure it is absolutely essential and that we have exhausted all other options.

Library managers have reviewed this and have agreed the following position.

Alert Level 4 – scan and provide up to 100% of physical items
Alert Level 3 – same as level 4
Alert Level 2 – scan and provide up to 50% of physical items. Scans over 50% provided at Levels 3 + 4 will be taken down from Learn by LAC staff
Alert Level 1 – same as level 2

If flexibility is required, scans over 50% may be provided at levels 2 and 1 but the circumstances will need to be exceptional and checks need to have been made, e.g.

1. No eBook option of any description can be purchased
2. Physical access to the item is severely restricted, e.g. there is only 1 copy in the Library and this is not enough for all students in the class
3. The lecturer has considered an alternative resource

We will continue to work with other parties including Information and Records Management and the universities Copyright Expert Working Group (CEWG), sharing what we are doing with them.  As the advice we receive, our understanding or our appetite for risk changes we will adjust this advice as necessary.

In the meantime CEWG are going back to CLNZ to get clarification about what can be done at each alert level.  CEWG have also asked us to provide details of what we have scanned under the Covid-19 restrictions.