Before you publish, make sure you are aware of your rights as an author and the proper use of intellectual property. Copyright allows the author to protect their work and gives them the exclusive right to reproduce, adapt, distribute, perform, and display that work.
While librarians cannot give legal advice, we can provide resources and assistance. Contact Stephen B. Luce Library for additional information.
As the author of a work, you hold copyright, unless and until you transfer the copyright to someone else in a signed agreement. Such an agreement can be between the author and the publisher.
As the copyright holder and author of the work, you have the right to reproduce the work, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, publicly perform, and display the work.
As the copyright holder, you have control over distribution, access, pricing, updates, and any use restrictions. However, if you transfer that copyright without retaining any rights you may not be able to use that work in course websites, copies cannot be made for students or colleagues, it cannot be deposited in a public online archive, or reuse any portions in other works.
The Copyright Transfer Agreement is required and standard practice in publishing which gives publishers copyright to your work. Read the Copyright Transfer Agreement carefully. You have the right to modify the Copyright Transfer Agreement. You can always contact the publisher and ask for an Author Addendum to the current Copyright Transfer Agreement.