When submitting a paper with a publisher, can I make changes to the copyright transfer agreement or offer an alternative agreement?
If you are in the process of publishing your material with a publisher you might wish to consider retaining rights in order to place a paper in an institutional repository. Most publishers are willing to discuss copyright agreements with authors. You might wish to amend the existing agreement or suggest using an alternative agreement. Some publishers may offer the option to sign a License to Publish rather than a Copyright Transfer Agreement. These are often more liberal and may permit authors to deposit their papers in institutional repositories.
Related Questions
- What should I do if the publisher has a click-through online copyright transfer agreement that does not allow for modification?
- Am I required to sign copyright agreements as they stand? Can I make changes to an agreement or offer an alternative agreement?
- Who can transfer copyright if a paper has multiple authors including at least one U.S. Government employee?
