Model Agreement Addenda & Licenses

These model agreement addenda and licenses provide language that authors can use to retain some or all of their rights when publishing or distributing their works. (Read about publisher agreements to see why this matters.)

Agreement to Extend Author’s Rights (Boston Library Consortium) -- "Gives authors and their employing institutions non-exclusive rights to use, distribute, and reproduce material . . . in activities connected with the author’s academic and professional activities." This document has the support of Connecticut's Office of the Attorney General (Storrs satellite).
Creative Commons license -- Allows you to retain the copyright to the work, yet also allow others to copy or distribute your work according to conditions you set. Some publishers will agree to publish your work under such licenses.
SPARC Author's Addendum (PDF) -- See also SPARC's Copyright Resources for Authors and Copyright Resources for Authors: Practical Guidance When Submitting Journal Articles. Note: the UConn Libraries' Scholarly Communication Team prefers the BLC agreement (above) over the SPARC addendum.

SHERPA's RoMEO Service

Publisher Copyright Policies -- This service "lists publishers and their associated copyright agreements. . . . Search for a publisher or a . . . journal to see what rights are assigned to publishers and which are retained by the author." Also find transfer agreements, electronic archiving policies, and links to publishers' policies. From SHERPA and the RoMEO Project, U.K.

Collections of Agreement Forms

Sample Agreement Forms (UT Austin)
Sample Forms and Letters (NCSU)

Other Sources

Alternative Copyright Assignments by Stuart Sheiber at Harvard University
Reserving Rights of Use in Works Submitted for Publication: Negotiating Publishing Agreements (Crews, IUPUI) -- Has two model agreements for the author's specific uses and general rights of use.
Working with Publishers: Changing Your Publishing Agreement with an Author's Addendum (U. Kansas) -- Provides language, instructions, and blank PDF contract addendum.

Content in this page was used or adapted with permission from one or more institutions. Please see acknowledgements.