Uploading a PDF to MyLearningSpace might feel like the quickest and easiest way to share readings with your students. But in many cases it creates avoidable problems with copyright, licensing, accessibility, and resource management.
In most cases, the better approach is simple: link to the reading through Leganto or, if no online version is available, request a digitised extract through Library Services. This page explains why.
This guide focuses on PDFs of published academic content — such as book chapters or journal articles — where copyright or licensing restrictions usually apply. Other types of PDFs, such as your own materials or documents with clear reuse permission, are generally fine to upload.
We know why this happens. It often feels like the fastest and most reliable option, especially when:
These reasons are understandable, especially when you are trying to make access easy for students. But uploading PDFs of published academic content can create problems that are often avoidable.
These issues apply specifically to PDFs of published academic content — such as scanned book chapters or downloaded journal articles:
For published academic content such as scanned book chapters and downloaded journal articles, direct uploading is often not the best route.
Copyright and licence risk
Directly uploading saved or downloaded publisher PDFs is often not permitted under publisher or platform licence terms, even where Abertay already subscribes to the content. Students can usually access the same reading lawfully through authenticated links instead.
Accessibility
Re-uploaded PDFs may not preserve the accessibility features available through the original publisher or platform version.
Usage evidence
Re-uploaded PDFs usually do not contribute to publisher or platform usage statistics in the same way as authenticated links. That matters when resource value and renewals are reviewed.
Version control
A static PDF may not reflect later corrections, updates, or retractions.
Use Leganto to share readings.
When you add a reading to your Leganto list from LibrarySearch or from a publisher platform, students get a legal, authenticated link to the resource. This is usually the best option for journal articles, ebook chapters, and other Library content.
Using Leganto helps you:
If you are not sure how to do this, use the reading list guidance or contact Library Services.
If a book chapter or journal article is not available through Abertay’s subscriptions or as material with clear reuse permission, request a digitised extract through the Library’s Digitisation Service.
At Abertay, staff must not scan teaching extracts or upload those PDFs themselves. Library Services manages this process so that licence coverage, copying limits, source-copy rules, and sharing arrangements are checked properly.
To request a scan, use the online request form or contact library@abertay.ac.uk.
See also: Scanning for teaching
Do not assume that “open access” means you can upload a PDF wherever you like.
Some open-access material can be uploaded or reused for teaching, but only where the licence or permission clearly allows that use.
Check for:
If there is no clear reuse permission, link to the source instead of uploading the PDF.
If you have already uploaded a PDF to MyLearningSpace and you are not sure whether it was shared lawfully, the safest step is usually to remove it and replace it with the correct route.
In most cases, that means:
If you are unsure what to do with something already on your module, ask us at library@abertay.ac.uk
Not sure what’s allowed? Contact us at library@abertay.ac.uk— we’re here to help.
Do not assume a PDF is safe to upload just because:
In these situations, the right answer is usually still to link instead, or to ask the Library to provide the compliant route.
Contact library@abertay.ac.uk if you want help with:
See also: Copyright Guide for Teaching and Scanning for teaching.
Last modified by Library Services