The Department of Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) has made reasonable attempts to clarify the ownership of copyright for materials under its care. In most collections, however, SCUA cannot claim copyright over every item: a donor may transfer copyright to letters he or she wrote, for instance, but this control does not extend to letters received by that donor or to material written by other people.

It is the legal obligation of the researcher to ensure full compliance with the laws pertaining to copyright and intellectual property and to obtain written permission from all interested parties. An approval of permission to publish from SCUA does not imply that all copyright demands have been met. The University of Massachusetts Amherst assumes no responsibility for infringement of copyright held by others: full responsibility for infringement is assumed by the individual requesting permission to publish.

Permission to examine or duplicate materials does not constitute authorization to publish them in part or in their entirety. A separate written request for permission to publish must be made in advance to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, and permission will be granted only after SCUA has received a properly completed permission form signed by the requester and payment for any fees that apply.

1. 
   Download the
   permission formComplete two copies of the request for permission to publish form, including your name and address, a complete listing of the material to be published, and the title, place, and expected date of publication.
2. Sign and date both copies of the request and submit BOTH to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives. Faxes are not accepted.
3. ALL requests for permission must be accompanied by a cover letter providing information on the nature of the publication (including print run when appropriate), and acknowledging that use fees may apply.
4. Permission to publish is granted for one-time, non-exclusive, world-wide rights, solely for the project specified in the agreement and in the medium indicated. Permission is granted for the life of the project.

N.B.:

Front to back: William Hastie, W.E.B. Du Bois, and
unidentified man, ca.1947

• Except for brief excerpts, material under copyright cannot be duplicated without the written permission of the copyright owner. The University of Massachusetts Amherst assumes no responsibility for infringement of copyright held by others: full responsibility for infringement is assumed by the individual requesting permission to publish.
• A free copy of all publications relying upon the materials in Special Collections and University Archives should be presented to the department as soon as the work is published.
• In most cases, use fees range from $35 per image for not for profit publication to $125 for commercial use.

If permission is granted, citations should take the form:
[Collection name] ( [Call number]), Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Additional expectations apply to publication of graphic materials, including photographs, original drawings or paintings, or photographic or digital reproductions of original manuscripts:

• Photographic materials may not be reproduced electronically without the prior written permission of the Head of Special Collections and University Archives.
• The publisher will send the Special Collections and University Archives a copy of any printed publication containing the material(s) listed on the permission form, including videotapes, CD-ROMs, or other digital products.
• The Special Collections and University Archives does not claim to control the rights of reproduction for all pictorial materials in its collections. The publishing party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for infringement of copyright.
• In most cases, use fees range from $35 per image for not for profit publication to $125 for commercial use.

SCUA reserves the right to assess a modest fee for use of materials under its care. In most cases, fees apply only to use of graphic materials, not textual, and in all cases, proper attribution is required.

In most cases, use fees range from $35 per image for not for profit publication to $125 for commercial use. The fee assessed is for use only and does not imply that the researcher has fulfilled his or her obligations with respect to intellectual property.