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Copyright at Carroll Community College

This guide will provide information on the College's copyright policy, procedures, and links to additional information.

Seeking Permission to Use Copyrighted Works

How to obtain permission

When a proposed use of photocopied materials requires a faculty member to request permission, communication of complete and accurate information to the copyright owner will facilitate the request.  The Association of American Publishers suggests that the following information be included to expedite the process.

  • Title, author and/or editor, and edition of materials to be duplicated
  • Exact material to be used, giving amount, page numbers, chapters and, if possible, a photocopy of the material
  • Number of copies to be made
  • Use to be made of duplicated materials
  • Form of distribution (classroom, newsletter, etc.)
  • Whether or not the materials is to be sold
  • Type of reprint (ditto, photocopy, offset, typeset)

The request should be sent, together with a self-addressed return envelope, to the permission department of the publisher in question.  If the address of the publisher does not appear at the front of the material, it may be obtained from The Literary Marketplace (for books) or Ulrich's International Periodicals (for journals), both published by the R.R. Bowker Company.  For purposes of proof, and to define the scope of the permission, it is important that the permission be in writing.

The process of considering permission requests requires time for the publisher to check the status and ownership of rights and related matters, and to evaluate the request.  It is advisable, therefore, to allow sufficient lead time.  In come instances, the publisher may assess a fee for permission, which may be passed on to the students who receive copies of the photocopied material.

Sample Letter of Permission

Sample Letter of Permission

 

 

Date

Name & address of addressee

Dear ____________,

(If you contacted the owner by phone, begin the letter): This letter will confirm our recent telephone conversation.  I am __________________ at Carroll Community College.  I would like your permission to (explain your intended use in detail) reprint or use the following ___________ (article, chapter, image, film exerpt, etc.) for use in our course dealing with __________.  I will be using the article during the  _______ semesters for my ______________ course.  I will be making approximately ___ copies for student and instructional use.

(Insert full citation to the original work.)

Please indicate your approval of this permission by signing the letter where indicated below and returning it to me as soon as possible. My fax number is ___________. By signing this letter, you are confirming that you own (or your company owns) the copyright to the above described material.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

(Your name and signature)

PERMISSION GRANTED FOR THE USE REQUESTED ABOVE:

(Type name of addressee below signature line)

(signature)

Date: