We support instructors by scanning course related materials for inclusion in course sites on UVA Canvas and similar platforms. ISS also provides articles and book excerpts from electronic databases and e-books available through the library catalog (Virgo) when appropriate.
The services of Instructional scanning are intended to support learning, teaching, research, and scholarship and are offered only to University of Virginia graduate instructors, faculty, and staff. As is the case with all other Library services, patrons are expected to comply with copyright in their use of materials obtained through instructional scanning.
How to request a scan
There are two types of scan requests:
- Instructional scans: For course materials you plan to post on Canvas.
- Research scans: For materials needed for your own personal research.
Learn how to make a request in Virgo.
For PDF remediation
For updating or improving the accessibility of an older scan made from sources available in the UVA Library collection, visit the request page in your Virgo account and select "PDF remediation request."
Criteria for requesting instructional scans:
- Materials are for instructional use.
- Material is less than 50 pages (1 page per 8.5 x 11 PDF scan) or 100 pages (2 pages per 8.5 x 11 PDF scan).
- Material qualifies as fair use under U.S. copyright law (Title 17, United States Code), or copyright permission has been obtained by the instructor.
Notice: Instructional Scanning will start processing PDF remediation requests on September 15th, 2025
Instructional Scanning, within the Access Services department, in accordance with the Title II digital accessibility mandate under the Americans with Disabilities Act and with Virginia law on digital accessibility, officially known as the Information Technology Access Act, will begin processing PDF remediation requests for course material based on WCAG 2.1 AA standards on September 15th, 2025.
After April 24, 2026, course materials will need to be readily available and fully remediated for course content, beginning the first day of class. This means that adhering to the deadlines below for each semester is critical. The deadlines serve as guidelines for each semester; however, requests can be submitted earlier than the deadlines provided. The turnaround times below are estimates. Once more data has been collected in FY25, the turnaround times may be subject to revision.
Soft deadlines
- Soft deadline statement: Instructors are highly encouraged to submit their requests to Instructional Scanning for course material being uploaded to Canvas before the deadlines for each semester to ensure adequate time for PDF remediation, in preparation for the first day of class.
- Summer semester deadline: May 1st
- Fall semester deadline: May 1st
- Spring semester deadline: November 15th
- The above dates serve as soft deadlines, and although flexible, are critical to comply with to ensure you receive your material before classes begin each semester.
- Please note, anything submitted after the deadline will still be fully remediated; however, there would be a risk of requests not being remediated before the first day of class.
Turnaround times
Once the PDF remediation process has begun, the turnaround time will vary depending on how simple or complex the document is, and material will be sent upon completion of each request. The estimated turnaround time for a simple document is 3-5 working days and for complex documents 7-14 working days. Please refer to the information below for further details surrounding key elements for simple versus complex documents.
What makes a PDF simple?
- Predominantly text-based (i.e. little to no images, tables, charts, or scientific notation)
- Simple documentation structure (i.e. standard paragraphs, columns, etc.)
- Smaller number of pages
What makes a PDF complex?
- Multimedia content (i.e. graphics, tables, charts, scientific notation, videos, etc.)
- Format and layout (i.e. multiple columns, floating figures/tables, etc.)
- PDFs that require more cleanup: de-skewing, fixing color contrast, cropping, etc. The cleaner the PDF scans are the faster the process will be.
- Larger number of pages
Factors that may impact turnaround time:
- Number of requests we receive (if you are placing multiple requests, feel free to indicate level of importance based on urgency for what you need to have processed first)
- Staffing
Active Request Limits
To streamline PDF remediation and prioritize requests more effectively, we have placed a limit on active submissions. Please refer to the information below for more details.
What does the active request limit apply to?
- Interlibrary Loans (scan requests from other libraries)
- LEO scans (digital copies of UVA material)
After I reach my limit, when will I be able to place another request?
To place a new request, please wait for one of your current requests to be completed (i.e. if you reach the 10 active request limit and 4 are completed, you can then place 4 more requests).
Using links for Canvas
- Under UVA’s suggested best practices, an in-copyright article can be distributed to students for non-commercial educational purposes under fair use. To better strengthen the fair use argument, we suggest that you link to a resource in the Library’s electronic collections, such as a journal article or e-book. Providing stable links-—whether through library-licensed resources, open-access platforms, or publisher websites-ensures that materials are accessible in formats compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies.
- More information on best practices can be found here. If you need help locating or adding links within Canvas, please use the Ask a Librarian chat box for immediate assistance or contact your Subject Liaison Librarian.
- Please note that these suggestions are for distribution in UVA held classes and may not apply to tools or lesson plans outside of UVA.
Please note that Access Services will prioritize completion of requests as we receive them using effective prioritization strategies.