A second course element that the library could potentially support
was access to resources suggested as course content that were not classified
as required textbooks. The Library does not, as a rule, purchase
textbooks as these are expenditures expected of students. The librarian
investigated whether the resources were available through the library's
digital collection so that persistent links may be embedded within the
Blackboard CMS. Embedding direct links to resources, particularly at
the “point of need” within a course, helps minimize disruption and
increases learning continuity. If the source was available, the librarian
verified the number of simultaneous user-licenses so that more than
one student could use the resource at a time. Also, the librarian verified
any licensing restrictions regarding use within a “distance-learning”
course. Although Harvard Business Review Notice of Use Restrictions
was the only known publication that mandated licensees “not host
this content on learning management systems or use persistent
linking or other means to incorporate the content into learning management
system” it was standard practice by the librarian to verify licensing
restrictions for all sources. If the source was unavailable
through the digital collection, the librarian sought acquisition of
the material. The library's informal practice gave high priority to
the acquisition of materials recommended for courses with the exception
of textbooks.