No, article PDFs from UMGC Library databases should not be posted in classrooms. You should provide a database link for assigned readings.
The Library strongly recommends against posting PDFs of articles or other materials found within Library databases to LEO classrooms for students to access as course materials. Providing the permanent link/PURL for an article is the required method for providing access to it, for the following reasons:
- Accessibility - PDFs can create accessibility issues for students requiring special accommodations such as screen reader software. The Library's databases normally include electronic text for articles, which has far fewer accessibility issues.
- Licensing and copyright issues - Copying PDFs to a different information system (such as the LEO course management system) may violate limitations on reproduction and distribution under copyright protections and licensing agreements.
- Article information - Important information about the source of an article may not be included within a PDF, so if students are only presented with a PDF, this could make it difficult for students to properly cite the article. Complete metadata for articles normally appears within the database record for an article.
- Usage data - When students are directed via links to the database record for an article, statistics showing library usage for the article are recorded. This data is critical for showing the overall usage and return on investment of Library resources. Without this data, use of materials as course resources will not be counted and could result in discontinuation of databases that are seemingly little used.
For these reasons, the best practice is to utilize PURLs (permalinks) to direct students to Library resources used as course materials.
For more information about copyright see the Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines page.