ERAC's new
copyright course launched

Shortly after she completed the section of Copyright Essentials for Educators covering videos and DVDs Moira Ekdahl, who is the teacher-librarian consultant for SD #39 Vancouver, received a call from a teacher-librarian. She was calling on behalf of a teacher, who wanted to know if he could use an American video he had purchased to teach a unit on the brain. Ekdahl was able to let her know that no, he could not use the video without purchasing the appropriate usage rights.

ERAC's new online copyright course, Copyright Essentials for Educators is easy-to-use and convenient; users simply logon and then revisit the site as often as they like to complete the approximately three-hour course. Copyright Essentials for Educators explains what BC schools are legally allowed to do under the Canadian Copyright Act, or specially negotiated agreements with copyright holders, and what they are not allowed to do. Sounds like incomprehensible lawyer-speak? It's not: as one user remarked on the friendly format, "I didn’t get bored out of my tree doing it!"