re: one time use

Iris Brest asked whether "one time use" has a standard meaning in a grant of permission to use a photograph or a quotation in a work to be published. Generally when you request permission, you specify exactly how you intend to use the material. When the copyright owner grants permission for "one time use", that indicates that permission is not granted for anything other than what was specified in the request.

If you're requesting permission to use a copyrighted work, be very specific. If you're granting permission, make sure you know what you're granting permission for. A request should specify whether it's for one edition only or for all future editions, and it should specify the context (such as book jacket vs. inside with the text). Some copyright holders may want to know much more, such as the size of the print run or the target audience. But at the very least you need to be clear about where and how the copyrighted work will be used. Only then can a phrase like "one time use" be meaningful.

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. I'm just a publisher.

Yours,
  Michael Bernstein
  Cascadilla Press
  michael[_at_]cascadilla.com Received on Tue Feb 28 1995 - 05:34:15 GMT