Copyright & Fair Use

The Copyright Office makes it easy for authors to register copyright on their own works. Their website contains useful information, including what can be copyrighted, a listing of current fees, and updated FAQs.

• U.S. Copyright Office
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Current Fees

The Copyright Office offers an online copyright filing interface, that both lowers your filing cost and speeds up registration times.

• eCO Login(Electronic Copyright Office)
  • eCO Acceptable File Types
  • eCO FAQs
  • Current Processing Times

1. The author is the copyright holder. As the author of a work you are the copyright holder unless and until you transfer the copyright to someone else in a signed agreement.
2. Assigning your rights matters. The copyright holder possesses the exclusive rights of reproduction, distribution, performance,  display, and modification of the work.  An author who has transferred copyright without retaining these rights must ask permission unless the use is one of the statutory exemptions in copyright law.
3. The copyright holder controls the work. Decisions concerning use of the work and any use restrictions belong to the copyright holder. Authors who have transferred their copyright without retaining any rights may not be able to place the work on course Web sites, copy it for students or colleagues, deposit thework in a public online archive, or reuse portions in a subsequent work. That’s why it is important to retain the rights you need.
4. Transferring copyright doesn’t have to be all or nothing. The law allows you to transfer copyright while holding back rights for yourself and others. This is the compromise that the SPARC Author Addendum [see mid-page] helps you to achieve.

SCRUTINIZE THE PUBLICATION AGREEMENT

1. Read the publication agreement with great care. Publishers’ agreements (often titled “Copyright Transfer Agreement”) have traditionally been used to transfer copyright or key use rights from author to publisher. They are written by publishers and may capture more of your rights than are necessary to publish the work. Ensuring the agreement is balanced and has a clear statement of your rights is up to you.
2. Publishing agreements are negotiable. Publishers require only your permission to publish an article, not a wholesale transfer of copyright. Hold onto rights to make use of the work in ways that serve your needs and that promote education and research activities.
3. Value the copyright in your intellectual property. A journal article is often the culmination of years of study, research, and hard work. The more the article is read and cited, the greater its value. But if you give away control in the copyright agreement, you may limit its use. Before transferring ownership of your intellectual output, understand the consequences and options.

(Quoted from Authors Rights, SPARC)

Additional Information

Resources for Authors - Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)