Copyright Resources

Seeking Permission from Copyright Owners (from Columbia University Copyright Advisory Office)

If you are seeking to use a copyrighted work, you may have to obtain permission from the copyright owner. The owner may be the original creator of the work or that person’s employer. The original author may also have transferred the copyright to a publisher or some other party. In some instances, you may contact the owner directly. In other cases, you can secure permission on behalf of the owner by contacting an industry licensing agency or a publisher. Sometimes, the copyright owner may require a fee or impose other conditions. You have to decide if the cost and conditions are acceptable, and you should feel free to negotiate.

Copyright Clearance Center (CCC)

The CCC is a licensing clearinghouse representing thousands of publishers and authors. The CCC can streamline the process of obtaining rights for the use of copyrighted materials when rights are required. In many cases teachers will not need to obtain rights, but there are times when they will.

Anyone can enter the CCC and check the cost of royalties based on a specific use. If an item is not listed, the CCC can contact the rightsholder for you.