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Copyright & Fair Use Basics
Learn the basics of U.S. Copyright law and how to apply fair use to your teaching and research
Scholarly Communication Librarian
Requesting Permission from the Copyright Holder
If you've determined you need to request permission from the copyright holder to use their work:
1. Identify the Copyright Holder
- Check if there is a copyright notice on the work that identifies the author
- Keep in mind there may be multiple copyright holders
- Has the copyright changed hands? It may no longer belong to the original creator
- The method of identifying owners differs depending on the industry
2. Identify the Rights You Need
- Copyright is a bundle of rights. What specific rights would you like to request permission for? This could include:
- Reproduce
- Distribute
- Modify
- Would you like exclusive or non-exclusive rights?
- What length of time do you need the rights?
3. Be Prepared
- Plan ahead: requesting permission could take time
- Submit your request and obtain the response in writing
- Be prepared for the possibility of licensing fees
- Multiple rounds of negotiation may be necessary
- Ultimately, the copyright holder could say no
Additional Resources
- The Basics of Getting PermissionGuidelines from Stanford University Libraries Copyright and Fair Use Center.
- Getting Permissions, Step by StepGuidelines from the University of California.
- How to Obtain PermissionSuggestions for obtaining permission from the U.S. Copyright Office.
- Request for Permission to Use Copyrighted Materials FormCustomize this template form to ask permission to use someone else’s copyrighted materials.