How to Obtain Permissions to Use Copyrighted Materials

 

If an exemption (such as fair use, the library exception, face-to-face teaching activities or TEACH Act exceptions) is not clearly available, permission must be obtained to use copyrighted materials. 

The EMU Library may have blanket copyright permission for the journal you need an article from. Before sending your request(s) to a publisher, check with the library. Also, the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) is able to give permission for most materials for a fee. Go to the CCC website, http://www.copyright.com/ for information.

If your are using a course pack from commercial copying services such as Kinko’s, they will obtain copyright permission for materials and add the copyright fees to the price of your course pack.

A letter of request to use copyrighted materials should be sent to the copyright/permission department of the publisher of the work you wish to use. Assume four to six weeks for a request to be processed.

Be sure your request includes:

Title, author and/or editor, and edition.
Exact material to be use.
Number of copies to be made.
Intended use of the material, e.g. educational.
Form of distribution, e.g., hard copy to classroom, internet use.
Whether material is to be sold, course pack.

Below are several examples of letters you could use to obtain permission to use copyright materials.  Always use University letterhead.  Be sure to allow sufficient time before you need to use the materials to obtain permission.

 Request for Permission for Classroom Use

 Date

Name of copyright owner

Address

Dear __________________:

I am a professor of ______________________________ at Eastern Michigan University and I would like to reproduce and distribute the following material to students in my class:   ______________________

 

            Include the:  title of the material (s)

                                  author

                                  edition and date

 I would like to use the following portion (s) of your work:

 State pages, chapters, etc.

This material will be used for:

            State purpose

            Dates and semester (s) of use

            # of students

Copies of this material will be made and distributed only to students in the class andcopyright notice will be included on all copies

 Please indicate your permission by signing the enclosed permission form and returning it to me in the enclosed envelope.  Please let me know if there are other person (s) from whom consent might be required.  Thank you.

 Your Name

   Title, etc.

   

Enclosure

 

Permission  granted to:

     To use:

 

     By: _______________________________________________ [Signature]

     Name: _____________________________________________ [Please Print]

     Title: ______________________________________________

     Date: __________________

 

Other persons to contact for consent:

     Name(s): __________________________________________________

     Address(es): _______________________________________________

     Telephone No(s): ___________________________________________

 

Request for Permission for Course Reserves

 Date

Name of copyright owner

Address

Dear __________________:

I am a professor of ______________________________ at Eastern Michigan University and I would like to place the following materials on course reserve: 

            Include the:  title of the material (s)

                                  author

                                  edition and date

 I would like to use the following portion (s) of your work:

            State pages, chapters, etc.

This material will be on course reserve for:

            Dates and semester (s) of use

            # of students        

 You might also mention why this work is important to your teaching.

 Copies of this material made available only to  students in the stated class(es) and copyright notice will be included on all copies

 Please indicate your permission by signing the enclosed permission form and returning it to me in the enclosed envelope.  Please let me know if there are other person (s) from whom consent might be required.  Thank you.

 Your Name

   Title, etc.

 Enclosure

Permission  granted to:

     To use:

     By: _______________________________________________ [Signature]

     Name: _____________________________________________ [Please Print]

     Title: ______________________________________________

     For the time period: __________________________________

 Date: __________________

 Other persons to contact for consent:

 

     Name(s): __________________________________________________

     Address(es): _______________________________________________

     Telephone No(s): ___________________________________________