Seeking permission to use copyright material

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to use copyright material in their work and to pay any associated costs.  The following information applies to authors when seeking permission from Aboriginal Studies Press and/or external publishers.

Kinds of material that requires copyright permission

Illustrative material such as: maps, graphs, diagrams, charts and tables, pictures, photographs and advertisements extracts of text, including poems and music.

Processing copyright permissions requests can take weeks or even months, especially from overseas publishers so it is important to apply during the writing process, not when you have finished writing.

Illustrative material

When requesting permission for illustrative material, please check the imprint page, acknowledgment page or credit line for information on the copyright holder.

The publisher may not manage copyright for that material. You may need to research who is the copyright holder and submit a permissions letter to them.

If it is unclear who the original publisher is, then ask the publisher of the publication you have for contact details.

Text material

You must obtain permission to reproduce a ‘substantial part’ of any written work protected by copyright. This can mean 200 words from a medium length book, part or whole of an article or essay and short quotations from poems. It also includes any shorter extract that summaries the crux of the creator’s argument or research. If in doubt, seek permission.

Acknowledging copyright material

All material quoted and illustrative material must be appropriately acknowledged. A list of acknowledgments should accompany the final manuscript.

Acknowledgments should include:

  • original publication details (author, title, date of publication, publisher, place)
  • credit wording the copyright holder has requested.

Copyright and reproduction fees

Authors are responsible for paying fees for using copyright material, and an additional fee in getting that material in a form suitable for reproduction, e.g. if digital artwork files are required.

Fees are generally determined by the intended use and the context in which the material will be reproduced, the number of copies made, as well as other factors.

Request form for seeking permission to use ASP copyright material

Contact us to request a form for permission to reproduce ASP material. Requests must be complete, and in writing. Telephone requests will not be accepted; incomplete requests may be returned, unprocessed. We handle most requests within 8–10 working days, once we have all the information, and your agreement to any fees and conditions. If you have a specific deadline, please highlight that and we’ll try to meet it.

Request form for seeking permission to use the Aboriginal Australia Map

If you’re seeking permission to reproduce the Aboriginal Australia Map, contact us to request a permission form. Permission is given to reproduce the WHOLE map only.

Checklist for authors seeking copyright permission

Use the Checklist to ensure you have provided ASP and/or external publishers with all the information required to obtain permission to use copyright material.

If you intend to reproduce material published by a publisher other than ASP, you must contact that publisher for permission. They may have their own forms for you to complete; check their website.

Helpful tips

  • Visit the publisher’s website for any copyright permissions information and forms to complete.
  • Refer to the spine, imprint page and/or acknowledgment page to check the publisher of the work.
  • Include a copy of the imprint page as well as copies of the pages of material you wish to reproduce to make permission clearance easier.
  • If you are adapting the material, provide a copy of how you wish the material to appear.
  • If you wish to reproduce a photograph, image, illustration, table or chart, please refer to the credit line or acknowledgment section in the work. Depending on the copyright terms, you may have to submit a letter of enquiry to the person(s) credited for the material.
  • Go through the checklist to ensure you have included all the details and photocopies of material required.

Further information

Contact

Aboriginal Studies Press
P: 02 6246 1183
F: 02 6261 4288
asp@aiatsis.gov.au