Sample Forms to Help You Manage Rights or Fair Use

Whether you need to append a document to your publisher contract, or you're using copyrighted works that fall outside the Fair Use Doctrine, there are forms that help you communicate more easily with publishers. Download them and print or email as needed, or use them as guidelines for language you might use in conversation with publishers.

Author Addendum Samples

Use an addendum document when you want to negotiate with your publisher so you can retain some of your copyrights, or when you want to request non-exclusive rights with your publisher (e.g., give the publisher exclusive rights of 1st publication, and then share non-exclusive rights for more copies/distribution after 1 year.)

• Case has an addendum document  that you can download and fill in. As a Word document, you can use it as is, or delete the logo and then space it to fit standard university letterhead stationery with the logo.
• SPARC, of which Case is a member, also offers a a brochure explaining how to use an author addendum, on a Resources for Authors site. You'll also find the May 2007 SPARC Author Addendum (also available from the Resources page in .PDF and  Word formats.
• CIC (Committee on Insitutional Communication) was an early adopter of author addendum documents. Their Scholarly Communication Introduction has general information and an addendum that can be used for contract language.

Read more about your author's copyrights in  Retain Your Rights.

Copyright Permission Letters

Use a copyright permission letter when you are teaching, presenting, or creating reading lists for your class and your use falls outside of the Fair Use doctrine. Determine first if you need to seek permission, and then use one of these helpful resources.

• Association of American Publishers. General news and information on copyrights, best practices, tips, contacts, and an excellent standardized online permissions form. Fill out & print, or save as a file you can use to email.
• Copyright Clearance Center. Online interactive permissions form is sent to a desginated publisher. Select your rights-use need & fill out form. Fee added by CCC for convenience factor they provide.
• Permissions samples, sources for various types of content, From UT Copyright Crash Course.  
• Sample permission letter   (PDF)  (Word) for Course Reserves at Case

Information about Fair Use, Public Domain charts, seeking permissions and help is available at Copyright@Case.