As debate over the AUCC – Access Copyright settlement spreads to campuses across the country, one of the talking points that has emerged is that the coverage of linking to content in the settlement provides some value to the education community. The model licence defines copy as:

any reproduction, in any material form whatever, including a Digital Copy, that is made by or as a consequence of any of the following activities

(k) posting a link or hyperlink to a Digital Copy. 

Critics argue that this provision gives the AUCC no value as there is simply no need to license such activities. The inclusion of the provision means students will be paying something – there must some notional part of the $26 annual fee that covers this section – for nothing. Supporters of the deal, including AUCC, claim otherwise. Indeed, the AUCC FAQ has two questions and answers on point:

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