Update to Fair Dealing Guidelines

An updated version of the University of Alberta Fair Dealing Guidelines Information Document (dated 28 March 2023) is now available via UAPPOL.  This is the first update to the document since 14 August  2017. 

The purpose of this update is to add clarity around when and how the Guidelines are intended to be used.

The most substantive portion of the guidelines, the definition of “short excerpt”, has not been substantially changed.

With the increased availability of licensed digital resources, including e-books, through the University of Alberta Library, as well as the increased availability of openly licensed materials, the need to rely on fair dealing for institutional purposes has been diminishing. The update to the Guidelines is intended to make clearer where fair dealing, and the application of the Guidelines, fits within the current model of access to materials.

The definition of “short excerpt” is based on the one presented in the AUCC Guidelines in 2013, which has been adopted by a significant number of post-secondary institutions across Canada.  This definition has been a key part of the community of practice around institutional fair dealing. While a review of and update to this component may be forthcoming, in the interests of maintaining the community of practice, it is considered preferable for that to be done in conjunction with other post-secondary institutions across the country.

The 2023 update to the University of Alberta Fair Dealing Guidelines information document is available here.