Regulations on the Use of Electronic Resources

In order to protect the intellectual property of electronic resources (hereinafter referred to as “E-resources”), safeguard the reputation of East China Normal University (ECNU), and ensure the lawful rights and interests of authorized users, these Regulations are hereby established.

Article 1

E-resources refer to formal online publications issued by domestic or international publishers for which ECNU has purchased campus-wide (or departmental) usage rights, or digital resources constructed by ECNU itself. This includes, but is not limited to, databases, electronic journals, e-books, and multimedia resources.

Article 2

Authorized Users include ECNU faculty, staff, registered students (including international students), visiting scholars/teachers who are officially affiliated with and hold valid credentials issued by relevant ECNU departments.

Article 3

Proper Use means that Authorized Users may search, browse, download, or print E-resources at a normal speed for the purposes of personal learning, teaching, and academic research only. All such use must comply with applicable laws and regulations.

Article 4

Authorized Users shall properly safeguard their E-resource access accounts (i.e., ECNU authentication credentials) by setting strong passwords. In accordance with the ECNU Administrative Measures on the Use of Campus Cards, any operation performed using an account password shall be deemed an action by, or authorized by, the account holder.

Article 5

Authorized Users are expressly prohibited from the following activities related to E-resource usage. Violations will be subject to penalties under Article 6:

1.Establishing unauthorized proxy servers to provide off-campus individuals access to ECNU-purchased or licensed E-resources restricted to Authorized Users.

2.Using automated tools or software (including but not limited to the batch download functions of reference management software like EndNote) to download E-resources; downloading E-resources systematically, continuously, or in excessive quantities at speeds exceeding normal reading purposes; or downloading entire issues of electronic journals.

3.Lending, leasing, or otherwise sharing personal ECNU access accounts with non-Authorized Users; or privately distributing downloaded E-resource materials in bulk to non-Authorized Users. Account holders are also responsible for violations resulting from the failure to safeguard their account credentials.

4.Using downloaded E-resource materials for commercial profit.

5.Engaging in any other activities that violate applicable laws, regulations, or University policies.

Article 6 Penalties for Violations

Violators shall be subject to the following penalties:

1.Submit a written explanation and acknowledgment of violation to the Library or relevant ECNU department(s).

2.Delete all improperly downloaded E-resource materials and data under the supervision of the Library or the violator’s affiliated department/unit.

3.A formal notice of violation may be issued university-wide.

4.Depending on the severity of the violation, the Library is entitled  to impose one or more of the following measures: 1) Suspension of library borrowing privileges for two to six months. 2) Suspension of e-resource access privileges for one to three months. 3) Referral of serious violations to the University for disciplinary action.

5.The violator shall bear full responsibility for any intellectual property disputes and legal liabilities arising from their violation.

East China Normal University Library

Revised in May 2012