How much text may i copy?
How much you may copy is regulated by laws and agreements. Södertörn University takes part in an agreement with the copyright organization Bonus Copyright access, which means that you as a student may copy from copyrighted works, but with clear restrictions.
Copy from printed book: the 15/15 rule
The 15/15 rule means that you may copy, photograph or scan a maximum of 15 percent of the total pages in a printed book or publication, but never more than 15 pages. It is thus not always allowed to copy 15 pages. The number of copies allowed will depend on the extent of the book.
- Example 1: The book has 100 pages. You may copy a maximum of 15 pages.
- Example 2: The book has 60 pages. You may copy a maximum of 9 pages (15%).
- Example 3: The book has 300 pages. You may copy a maximum of 15 pages.
If, but only if, it is required for a chapter or article to be complete, you may copy another 3 pages, regardless of the scope of the book.
Digital source
You may copy and share the corresponding 15 A4 pages from one and the same digital source, for example from a news site or other digital publication.
Share with others
The same amount that you are allowed to copy for yourself, you may share with other students at the university.
If the book is difficult to obtain
The same copying rules apply even if a certain edition is no longer commercially available or no longer published.
Copying more than the license entitles you to is illegal
If you copy or share material in any way other than the license entitles you to, it infringes the copyright of the author. It can result in both penalties and damages. More information can be found on Bonus Copyright's website External link..
Do you have any questions?
Please, contact the library.