The Fine Print: Contracts, Copyright, and the Scholarly Publishing Process

This session with Rochelle Lundy, Director of the Office of Scholarly Communications at Stanford University Libraries, reviewed the key elements of publishing contracts, explaining how they relate to authors' rights under copyright law and their potential impact on future reuse of their scholarship. Lundy unpacked the complex language of publishing agreements, explored the legal effects of open access and Creative Commons licenses, and suggested proactive strategies for managing and retaining rights in your publications. Offered Oct. 23, 2026 for International Open Access Week. Introduction (00:00 - 02:36) Agenda (02:37 - 03:43) Copyright & Scholarly Publishing (03:50 - 06:30) Exclusive Rights of Copyright Holders (6:30 - 08:13) Understanding Publishing Contracts, Key Terms (08:15 - 09:30) Grant of Rights (09:30 - 10:22) Grant of Rights, Transfer (10:24 - 11:40) Grant of Rights, License (11:40 - 14:05) Retained Rights (14:14 - 17:20) Representation & Warranties (17:22 - 20:04) Additional Terms (20:06 - 21:41) Understanding Publisher Contracts, Formats & Locations (21:44 - 22:41) Contract Formats & Locations (22:42 - 26:29) Approaching Contract Decisions (26:34 - 27:01) Potential Reuse (27:01 - 29:35) Publishing Priorities (29:42 - 31:05) Reading Everything Carefully (31:05 - 33:27) Review Your Terms (33:35 - 35:43) Shop Around (35:44 - 38:01) Open Access (38:02 - 40:33) Creative Commons Licensing (40:33 - 43:09) Negotiation & Contract Modification (43:11 - 46:42) Takeaways & Resources (46:44 - 49:26) Q&A and Wrap-up (49:33 - 1:05:35)