Digitisation

Information Services can provide digitised copies of items on module reading lists, subject to copyright clearance, license restrictions and cost centre funds. These can then be made available to students via Blackboard.

Benefits

Making items more widely available in this way means that

• students can access the item/s outside library hours
• distance learners and other off-campus users can access items from wherever they are
• the pressure on loan stock is reduced
• problems of missing/mislaid items are reduced
• we can be sure copyright legislation is adhered to

Costs

Cost vary depending on the availability of the item:

• Items available in one of the Aberystwyth University libraries (in print only) can be digitised under the CLA license by library staff, subject to restrictions, copyright and licensing. Prices start at £19.22 per item. Checks are made to see whether a subscription to an ebook or ejournal would be more economical. Further details on the CLA license can be found here
• Items available in the British Library (print only)
  Under our CLA license we can gain access to PDF copies of items we do not hold in our own libraries as long as they are held by the Britsh Library. Prices vary depending on the copyright fee for the item. Checks are made to see whether a subscription to an ebook or ejournal would be more economical.
• Items not viable for digitisation under the CLA license
  These will be referred to The Heron Digitisation Service

Availability

Availability varies depending on where the item comes from:

• Items digitised under the CLA license can usually be made available within four weeks and can be renewed annually. The renewal charge is £10 per item. Four weeks notice is required. Library staff will always check for a better value option.
• HERON copies may take between 3 weeks and 2 months or more to be made available and are usually more expensive

Making requests

To request a digitised copy please email clastaff@aber.ac.uk stating:

• the module number
• full details of the item/s required for digitisation including edition and page numbers
• the number of students registered for the module 

Please give at least four weeks notice if possible

Providing access through Blackboard

Once material has been digitised it can be made available to students via Blackboard. The library’s digitisation team are able to upload the materials into Blackboard, but it is an individual staff member’s responsibility to arrange Blackboard access for them. Please note that Blackboard Team does not arrange this access.

Access can be given in two ways:

• By manually adding the login clastaff as a Course Builder to the appropriate module/s using the Blackboard Control Panel (see http://www.inf.aber.ac.uk/advisory/faq/594/#add-users for more details)
• By arranging Course Builder access for clastaff through the module database record (please contact the appropriate departmental module database administrator http://www.inf.aber.ac.uk/advisory/faq/619/).

If you require further information about giving Blackboard access please contact the Blackboard Team ( bb-team@aber.ac.uk ).