Faculty: Scan Your Textbook Using Apps
While we have made every effort to find free Free Online Textbooks, not all of the textbooks in use at Los Angeles Valley College are available to access for free online. However, you can also use a scanner if you have access to one, or download an app to your phone to "scan" pages from your textbooks and upload them to Canvas for your students.
The LAVC Library is recommending two free apps, OfficeLens and Adobe Scan, which are also the Wirecutter's top picks. However, there are many other free and low-cost scanning apps available on the Google Play and Apple app stores - use whichever scanning app you prefer.
Overall Recommendations for Effective Scanning
What About Copyright?
A number of copyright specialists have weighed in on this issue and have concluded that during a public health crisis such as this, scanning and distributing copyrighted materials directly to students is allowable under fair use:
"It is evident that making materials available and accessible to students in this time of crisis will almost always be a fair use. As long as we are being thoughtful ... and limiting our activities to the specific needs of our [students] during this time of crisis, copyright law supports our uses. The fair use doctrine accommodates the flexibility required by our shared public health crisis, enabling society to function and progress while protecting human life and safety." (Public Statement of Library Copyright Specialists: Fair Use & Emergency Remote Teaching & Research, page 3)
Office Lens
Use Office Lens to take photos of documents and book pages, then export them as PDFs to Microsoft OneDrive. Use your Office365 account (just log in with your LAVC email and password) to get access to all of your scans (look in the Office Lens folder). Exported PDF scans automatically include OCR. Can scan up to ten pages per document.
Download Office Lens:
This video shows how to create multi-page PDFs with Office Lens. Instead of adding to a Google Classroom like this instructor does, you can download your scan from Office365 and upload it to Canvas.
Need help? Check out Office Lens Help & Training for more information.
Adobe Scan
Sign in with your Adobe ID or Google, Facebook, or Apple account to access Adobe Scan. Create PDFs and click Share to easily email them to yourself or export them to OneDrive or Google Drive. Exported PDF scans automatically include OCR. No page limit for scans. Can upgrade for $9.99 a month to get access to additional features.
Download Adobe Scan:
Need help? Check out Adobe Scan Mobile Help for more information.
This guide is licensed CC BY 4.0. You are free to copy, transform, and redistribute this material in any medium or format without asking permission. Adapted from Glendale Community College Library Updates (CC BY 4.0).