Loading content into a course management system like Canvas, or otherwise making material and content accessible to students electronically, is equivalent to creating a printed course reader.  For both print and electronic use of content, the faculty member preparing the reading list is responsible for ensuring that permissions are obtained where needed for the reuse of published materials.  Services that print and distribute hard-copy course readers generally take on that responsibility and pass costs on to students who are purchasing the reader.  In online systems, faculty may have to take on that responsibility more directly.  Recent litigation indicates that a faculty member may make some very limited amounts of electronic content available for students to review provided that the faculty member has done an individualized assessment of the work under the four factors of the fair use test. 

For more information on the process for obtaining, or avoiding the need for such permissions, please review the following recommended practices:

• Link to it - linking is not copying, and does not require the same level of permissions
• Checklist for rights clearance for digital content - summary of issues and concerns
• In addition, this presentation to Law School staff covers a variety of issues related to creating online course readers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F1rpN2SUyg).