Copyright Permission Clearances

Function

Administration

PIB

RRSDA Number

2005-007

Department

All University Departments

Description, purpose and use of records

Records relating to permission clearances obtained from both Access Copyright (the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency) and publishers and copyright holders not covered by Access Copyright. Clearances of copyrighted works are sought on behalf of schools, departments, and instructors for use in teaching, research and study and in the delivery of distance education and online learning, the production of courseware or coursepacks, and in the provision of library services.

Records include correspondence (letters, faxes, e-mail) documenting permission clearance requests with independent copyright holders or Access Copyright or with faculty requesting use of copyrighted works; database reports or checklists documenting courses in which copyrighted works are used, copyright holders, bibliographic citations and publication data, total number of copies made, terms of permission, and fee and percentage calculations.

Records most often arranged by course name and number.

"Term of Use" refers to the term or period of time in which use of a copyrighted work has been granted by the copyright owner. "S/O" or "superseded/obsolete" refers to the end date of a stipulated term of use.

Retention periods

Records	Active Retention	Semi-Active Retention	Total retention	Final disposition
Copyright Permission Clearances (Paper and Electronic Files)	End of term use permission + 1 year	3 years	End of term use permission + 4 years	Destroy
Citation and Copyright Calculation Databases	Superseded or obsolete	Nil	Superseded or obsolete	Destroy
Access Copyright Royalty Reports	CY + 1 year	3 years	CY + 4 years	Destroy

Active = Active Retention Period, Keep in Office; Semi-Active = Semi-Active Retention period, transfer to University Records Centre; CY = Current calendar year; CFY = Current fiscal year; CS = Current semester; S/O = Superseded or obsolete; OPR = Office of Primary Responsibility; Non-OPR = All other departments

Authorities

These records are created, used, retained and managed in accordance with the following authorities:

Copyright Act (RSC 1985, c. C-30)
AUCC Agreement with the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (2003)

Retention rationale

The retention periods prescribed by this RRSDA meets the auditing requirements of the agreement signed between SFU and Access Copyright as well as the legislated limitation periods set for criminal and civil copyright infringement actions.

Retention and filing guidelines

Copyright permission clearance records become superseded/obsolete (S/O) when the approved term of use expires. When working within the Access Copyright regime, terms of use are set and expire at definite periods. When dealing directly with publishers and copyright holders, terms of use are negotiable and can vary in length of time.

Records creators should note that this RRSDA applies equally to paper and electronic records and that they are responsible for deleting any records maintained in electronic form at the expiration of the total retention period (e.g. spreadsheets, e-mail correspondence, etc.).

Databases created to track bibliographic citations and publisher data and copyright percentage calculations and fees can be maintained until a new database is designed, superseding an older version or the database software application becomes obsolete. It is useful to maintain bibliographic data in this manner for potential future reference and reuse.

At the end of the active retention period, box and transfer paper files to the University Records Centre (URC). For each box prepare a box contents listing, itemizing all files contained in the box. Always include ONE copy of the file list inside the box sent to the URC taped to the underside of the lid; keep ONE copy for your own records; and send ONE copy (paper or electronic) to the Archives (see Procedures for Transferring Records to the University Records Centre).

Status

RRSDA is in force

Approval Date

9 Nov 2000

Last Revised Date

add date

Archives and Records Management