Answered By: Matt Laidlow
Last Updated: Jul 22, 2025     Views: 55

What are licenses for electronic resources?


The MRU Library has contracts with a variety of vendors and publishers that provide the campus with thousands of electronic resources (databases, e-journals, e-books, etc.) costing millions of dollars per year. 

In addition to paying for these resources, the Library negotiates license agreements that stipulate how and by whom a given resource may be used. 

You must be a current MRU student or employee to access MRU Library licensed resources (such as articles, books, newspapers and video) from off-campus. Remote access is provided via the OpenAthens authentication system and your MyMRU account. In most cases, access for the general public (AKA walk-in users) is made available through computers within the Library. 

Here are some rules of thumb for good practices and avoiding improper use: 

  • Making a limited number of print or electronic copies for your personal use 
  • Using materials for personal, instructional or research needs 
  • Sharing with MRU faculty, staff and students 
  • Posting links to specific content 

Improper use, known as a license violation, can result in the university’s temporary, or permanent, loss of access to a resource.

Please note that the license terms take precedence over MRU’s Fair Dealing Guidelines and may override the user rights in the Copyright Act

Contact the Copyright Advisor (mrucopyright@mtroyal.ca) for more information. 

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