Faculty Resources

The library provides a number of services created specifically with faculty needs in mind. Use the links below to learn more about these resources, and be sure to reach out to your library liaison if you have any needs or concerns that aren’t addressed here.

Faculty are required to comply with the Fair Use guidelines and the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).

How the library can help

The librarians can help you determine if you need to request copyright permission for something you wish to use in class, and can assist you with obtaining permission to use copyrighted materials when needed. To obtain copyright permission, go to the Library’s Electronic Reserves page and either create (or reuse) an e-reserves course page or choose “Request D2L Copyright Permissions” to obtain copyright clearance for items that you wish to use in your class. You are also encouraged to contact your library liaison with questions that you have about copyright.

Please note that you generally do not need to request copyright permission for library database articles if you create a static link to them, nor do you need to request permission for items in the public domain, are under a Creative Commons license, or that fall under academic Fair Use guidelines.

More resources

Minnesota State has developed an intellectual property website to guide faculty on issues related to intellectual property and copyright. The librarians at Metro State University have developed this guide to copyright, the public domain, and Creative Commons.

Reserves

Physical reserves

Physical reserves are items held in the library for students to use within the building. Supplemental or required articles, books, book chapters, videos, and more can be kept at our first-floor desk for your students to use in the library throughout the semester. You may also choose to put articles and book chapters on e-reserves, which would make them available online. Please use this form to request items be placed on physical reserve.

Electronic reserves

Electronic reserves (e-reserves) allow materials to be accessed online by students. You can put articles and book chapters online for your students to access; use this guide to access instructions and forms. Your students can be directed to the E-reserves portal linked to on our website homepage, where they will enter the course password you have provided to them. To set up an account, contact our E-reserves staff.

Streaming videos and classroom video showings

The library subscribes to streaming film services that contain thousands of academic films and videos that can be watched online or embedded into D2L/Brightspace course sites. 

For information on searching for streaming content, using streaming video resources in courses, and how to embed or link to it, see our Video Guide.

To book a DVD to show in class on a certain date, use the video booking form.

Plagiarism

Librarians offer advice and consultation on handling plagiarism issues. Metro State also subscribes to Turnitin, a software program that helps faculty to identify plagiarism. Please read this article to learn more about Turnitin and this article about how to use it in a D2L course site.