• Section 1 - Background and Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• General
• Terms and Conditions of Use of Electronic Information Resources
• University Staff
• University Students and Alumni
• Other Defined User Groups
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

(1) This Policy and Procedure are intended to ensure that licensed electronic information resources for which access through the University network is negotiated by the University Library, are only used in compliance with the licence conditions expressed in the agreements between the University and information providers.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Policy applies to all Authorised Users of the Licensed Electronic Information Resources.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) Electronic information resources licensed by La Trobe University Library are accessible only to La Trobe University staff and students (as defined in the La Trobe University Act 2009 and Statutes), and certain other authorised users as may be defined in contractual agreements specific to particular information resources.

(4) Access to electronic information resources is controlled through authentication and authorisation mechanisms maintained by Information Services (IS) that rely on metadata about information resource access conditions maintained by the Library and metadata about network users maintained by Human Resources, Student Administration and the Alumni and Advancement Office.

(5) The Library is involved in the decision making process when new categories or cohorts of users are being considered for access to the University network to advise on the implications for the University’s licence obligations.

Section 4 - Procedures

General

(6) Licensed Electronic Information Resources must only be used by Authorised Users through the University network.

Terms and Conditions of Use of Electronic Information Resources

(7) The Library maintains records of the terms and conditions of use of individual electronic information resources. Unless otherwise specified, these restrict use to La Trobe University staff and students, and require that users are responsible for limiting use to non-commercial academic research or learning purposes, and must not systematically download, distribute or retain substantial portions of information.

(8) Copyright and proprietary notices must not be removed from any printed or downloaded material and all use of material must be cited correctly. The use of software, scripts, agents or robots is prohibited and may result in the loss of access to the resources for the entire La Trobe University community. Users found to be in breach of these terms of use may be suspended from access to all purchased electronic resources.

(9) Users are also required to comply with any additional terms of use specified in an electronic information resource. Staff should note that any use of electronic resources for teaching purposes must comply with the contractual terms of the electronic resource from which the material was sourced. 

(10) The Library may negotiate the inclusion of additional authorised users such as Alumni in licence agreements for small numbers of electronic information resources. This is usually at an additional cost.

University Staff

(11) Human Resources are responsible for maintaining records of University staff relied upon by this procedure.

University Students and Alumni

(12) Student Administration are responsible for maintaining records of University students and the Alumni and Advancement Office is responsible for maintaining records of alumni for the purposes of this procedure.

Other Defined User Groups

(13) University Alumni and Affiliates: The Library may negotiate expanded access to small numbers of licensed information resources on behalf of members of Alumni and other affiliated groups. This is usually at additional cost for each resource, and involves additional administrative overhead for IS and the Library.

(14) For each such group the nature of the affiliation must be documented in a written Agreement with the University in a form approved by the University’s Legal Services, including arrangements negotiated with IS and the Library for

1. the provision of accurate and actively maintained metadata for members of the group to be made available in machine readable form through automated transfers that allow the metadata to be utilised by IS and the Library to manage access to the University network and to resources licensed for the group’s use respectively
2. specify who is authorised to
   1. request negotiation by the Library of access to electronic information resources on behalf of the group, and
   2. commit funds for the provision of access to information resources on behalf of the group
3. billing arrangements for additional licence costs incurred in the course of their accessing electronic information resources
4. acceptance of the responsibility for ensuring members of the group respect the access condition for any electronic resources they utilise and observe the obligations of users of the University network

(15) Walk-in users: Some license agreements allow individuals visiting a campus library in person to use a guest login at a Library workstation. Such users must apply in person at the campus Library's inquiry counter to access such electronic information resources.

Section 5 - Definitions

(16) For the purpose of this Policy and Procedure:

1. Licensed Electronic Information Resources: Information resources for which access is provided through the Internet to members of the University on the basis of a Licence Agreement executed between the University and the information provider, including databases, online journals, electronic books, online audio or video recordings, electronic data sets such as statistical information.
2. Authorised Users: Staff, Students, and other defined groups such as Alumni, for whom authorised access to information resources may be negotiated with information providers on a resource by resource basis.
3. Staff and Students: as defined in the La Trobe University Act 2009.