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Subject:Re: Copyright Clearance Center From:Beth Friedman <bjf -at- WAVEFRONT -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 18 Nov 1998 12:01:41 -0600
In our previous episode, Tracy Boyington said:
> > I'm currently working for someone who's had several technical books
> > published, and he recently received a check for around $250 from this
> > organization. According to the enclosed material, this is royalties
> > for non-specific copying in Netherlands, Germany, and Spain, where
> > photocopy license fees are charged.
>
> Based on a very brief look at their website, it seems the copyright
> owner has to sign up for CCC to "manage" their copyright clearances. Did
> your friend do this?
Nope; this came out of the blue.
> > On the face of it, this looks like free money. Does anyone know if
> > there's any catch we might be missing?
>
> Playing devil's advocate... I wonder if this could be similar to the
> organizations that find people who have unclaimed property and offer to
> claim it for a hefty finder's fee. I wonder if his portion of the
> "photocopy license fees" would be much higher if he were able to claim
> it directly. And I wonder if, when he endorses that check, he signs away
> his right to do so. Just some cynical thoughts.
Well, according to the enclosed literature, a) they take an 8% cut,
which I consider perfectly reasonable, and b) the money is for
non-title-specific funds -- and Copyright Clearance Center is the
assigned distributor of these particular funds.
So according to their literature, at least, it looks like money that
otherwise would have been undistributed, and that the author wouldn't
have had any way to go after. Free money, in other words. Which is
why I was looking for information if anyone else had any. TANSTAAFL,
and all that.
*********************************************************************
Beth Friedman bjf -at- wavefront -dot- com
"If you can forgive your parents and forgive the Cubs, you can save
about $25,000 in therapy."
-- Steve Goodman
