When it comes to licensing and copyright, some authors, particularly those who are just starting out in the profession, may feel as though they are venturing into unfamiliar terrain. There is, however, no reason to let these things make you feel overwhelmed.
The following is essential information that you should be aware of concerning copyright and book licensing.
Licensing
Any content you generate and then distribute to others is eligible for licensing. The reader, or whoever will be using the material, will receive a notification in the form of a license that instructs them on how they can use or repurpose the content.
At the moment of publishing, you can obtain a license for any and all of the content you produce as a researcher, including articles, book chapters, books, blog posts, working papers, conference papers, and instructional materials. The license information should be shown clearly and legibly on the title page or the first page of your published material.
Copyright
The term “copyright” refers to the intellectual property of a piece of work made available to the general public by either you or your organization. The laws governing intellectual property vary widely from nation to nation, and there is no universally applicable worldwide standard. Nonetheless, there are universal truths that must be acknowledged.
The inherent entitlement to receive credit for one’s creative efforts is always present. This indicates that you, as the material’s author and/or publisher, have the authority to determine how the material will be used.
Whenever someone wishes to reproduce or distribute anything that is protected by copyright, they may be subject to a variety of conditions, and in some cases, they may be required to pay a fee. These conditions and fees are determined by the manner in which the publisher manages the copyright.
Essentially, copyright is the term that is used in the legal system to assert and prove ownership of intellectual property (the code, text, etc.). Whereas, a license is a legal word that is used to explain the conditions under which individuals are granted permission to utilize copyrighted material.