Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Access Copyright?
Access Copyright is a non-profit, national organization, representing tens of thousands of Canadian creators and publishers who create the textbooks, novels, poetry, plays, children’s books, artistic works and more that Canadians reach for everyday.
What does Access Copyright do?
For nearly 30 years, Access Copyright has facilitated the remixing and sharing of content for educational and professional purposes. We have combined this with an assurance that the original creators and publishers also benefit, so that they can continue creating new and innovative works.
What is Access for Copyshops?
Access for Copyshops is a licence agreement that provides copyshops with convenient, pre-cleared permission to copy portions of more than 100-million published titles.
How do I know what I can copy?
You can copy portions of any publication in Access Copyright’s extensive repertoire. Use our convenient lookup tool to confirm that the titles you wish to copy are covered.
How much of a covered title can I copy?
For general non-coursepack uses, you can copy up to 10% of a title. For paper coursepacks, you can copy up to 20% of a book or an entire article from a magazine, journal or newspaper. Coursepack creation includes a requirement to collect per page royalties and to log the bibliographic details of copied materials, for reporting and payment to Access Copyright on a quarterly basis.
Can I request permission to copy over the limits?
Yes, you can request permission to copy beyond the limits of an individual book or periodical. Over-limit permissions, where available, are subject to pay-per-use pricing and can be requested through the lookup tool.
What is the page rate for coursepack copying?
The page rate is 15 cents per page, per copy. Coursepack copying is reported to Access Copyright on a quarterly basis using the eLog template.
How are the fees for non-coursepack copying calculated?
Non-coursepack copying fees are calculated based on the copyshop’s number of self-serve and high-speed machines. The annual copying fee is $50 per self-serve copier and $100 per high-speed copier.
How was the pricing structure for non-coursepack copying determined?
We selected this pricing structure to make it as is easy as possible calculate the non-coursepack fees, and to harmonize coursepack fees with our university and college offerings to enhance fairness for all coursepack producers and their customers.
Do I have to submit meter readings for non-coursepack copying?
No, meter readings are no longer required for calculating non-coursepack royalties.
How do I record coursepack copying?
Through your Access for Copyshops agreement you commit to report and pay for paper coursepacks on a quarterly basis, which includes logging the bibliographic details of all published titles in Access Copyright’s repertoire that are copied in the production of coursepacks.
Logging tool for copyshop partners
Through the Access for Copyshops licence agreement, copyshop partners commit to report and pay for paper coursepacks on a quarterly basis. This includes submitting bibliographic details of all published titles in Access Copyright’s repertoire that are copied in the production of coursepacks. To make it easier to log those details and calculate royalties, we’ve developed a logging tool for copyshops.