How to Obtain Permission | Spalding University Policy Guide

1.7.0.2.0: How to Obtain Permission

When a use of copyright protected photocopied material requires that permission be requested, one should communicate complete and accurate information to the copyright owner (not necessarily the author). The American Association of Publishers suggests that the following information be included in a permission request letter:

1. Title, author and/or editor, and edition of materials to be duplicated

2. Exact material to be used, giving amount, page numbers, chapter and, if possible, a photocopy of the material.

3. Number of copies to be made.

4. Use to be made of the duplicated materials.

5. Form of distribution (classroom, newsletter, etc.)

6. Whether or not the material is to be sold.

7. Type of reprint (ditto, photography, offset, typeset, etc).

The request should be sent, together with a self-addressed return envelope, to the permissions department of the publisher in question. If the address of the publisher does not appear at the front of the material, it may be readily obtained in the Literary Marketplace published by R. R. Bowker or by contacting the library staff. The process of granting permission requires time for the publisher to check the status of the copyright and to evaluate the nature of the request. It is advisable, therefore, to allow enough lead time to obtain permission before the materials are needed. In some instances, the publisher may assess a fee for the permission. It is not inappropriate to pass this fee on to the student who receives copies of the photocopied material.

The Copyright Clearance Center (http://www.copyright.com) also has the right to grant permission and collect fees for photocopying rights for certain publications. Libraries may copy from any journal which is registered with the CCC and report the copying beyond fair use to CCC and pay the set fee. A list of publications for which the CCC handles fees and permission is available from: CCC, 310 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017. The CCC provides a searchable database at http://www.copyright.com/Database/default.html.