OSU Library Open Textbook Author Guidelines: Home

1. Please use the attached Word template to help you format your manuscript.
2. Citations should be submitted using standards appropriate to the discipline e.g. APA, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA, etc.
3. The author(s) must verify and obtain appropriate permissions for any copyrighted work used in the work. See General Considerations in this guide for resources in this regard.
4. The author(s) agrees to publish a freely accessibly e‐book with OSU Library Open Textbooks with a Creative Commons Attribution‐ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/legalcode

Obtaining copyright permission is a key component of the open educational publication process. Using open or original materials is best, but there might some occasions which will require the use of copyrighted information. It is also important to understand when you will need to secure permission for these resources, as not every instance requires this permission and is subject to frequency of use and fair use guidelines. For additional information regarding these two issues, please consult these additional resources:

• http://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/copyright/seekingpermission
• http://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/copyright/permission
• http://libguides.library.kent.edu/copyright#s-lg-box-5667343

While there is no exact process to do this, there are a few best practices that you can follow.

You must first identify the correct copyright holder(s) and contact them for each item you plan to use. This can take a significant amount of time, and some publishers/authors may not grant your request at all.The copyright office provides a step-by-step guide: https://www.copyright.gov/circs/m10.pdf. Here are some sample written request letters that you can use as models:

1. https://copyright.columbia.edu/basics/permissions-and-licensing.html
2. http://guides.lib.utexas.edu/copyright/permission

Another way to seek permissions and manage possible royalty payments is to work through a licensing agency such as the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), which represents a number of publishers. The advantage of such a service is that the process for requesting use from several different publishers is more efficient, but there are fees associated with this service.

If you are ever in doubt about a particular resource, checking with an attorney is the best way to resolve any uncertainties.