Feb 05 2009
Making the ‘Rights’ Choice
In the previous post, (You Have a Name-Now What?) we identified Crossing Press as the copyright holder for “Age, Race, Sex and Class: Women Redefining Difference” by Audre Lorde from Sister/Outsider: Essays and Speeches. (Also by Audre Lorde.) But before we can identify the proper contact at Crossing Press, we have to decide what rights we are seeking.
Our choices are:
http://www.tenspeed.com/resources/rights.htm?zenid=8d04bf5670d1e539b56d01b96e7a0d2b
Licensing and Foreign Rights;
Newpapers, Magazines, and Other Media;
Film or Television Set Use;
Academic Course Readers;
and Republication or Electronic Use.
(These are fairly standard choices for permissions requests, which is why I’m using Crossing Press as an example.)
The easiest way to explain the differences is by giving an example. You are seeking permission to use the Lorde essay in a textbook that will be distributed only in the United States.
According to Crossing Press’ definitions, Newpapers, Magazines, and Other Media is the contact if you are with the media and would like to request permission to reprint material in a review or book promotion.
Film or Television is the contact if you need permission to use material on the set of a film or television show.
If you need permission to use material in a photocopied handout, pamphlet, flyer, an academic course reader, or other free photocopied material, then requests go to a different contact altogether, Copyright Clearance Center. (Copyright Clearance Center will be discussed in the future.)
Licensing and Foreign Rights are usually handled by a Subsidiary Rights department. These rights include foreign/translation rights, merchandising rights, and adaptation of a book for film, television, or dramatic performance.
This narrows down our choice to Republication or Electronic Use. Crossing Press even provides an online request form. You’re not ready to fill out the form yet, but clicking on the link gives you the form’s web site address. Add this address to the contact information on your spreadsheet. (If you’re not sure what spreadsheet I’m talking about, click on the page Asking For Permissions, Steps 1 & 2, then go the link for Step Two: Off to Work We Go.)
You’re almost done. At the bottom of the Crossing Press web page, click on the link for Contact. This brings up the mailing address and phone numbers for Crossing Press. Add this information to your spreadsheet, too. Why? Sometimes you need to submit a copy of the material you are using, and you can’t do this with an online form. And if you haven’t had a response to your online request in six weeks, you will need to follow-up on your request. If you record all the contact information on your spreadsheet now you won’t have to go back and find everything again later!
© 2009 Anne Wallingford. All Rights Reserved.
