Customer Service

Permissions FAQ

Portions of the following information are specific to McDougal Littell. Other Divisions of Houghton Mifflin have different permissions guidelines, and this FAQ is not intended to describe company-wide policy. You may submit requests online using the Permissions Request Form. You may also fax your request on school/organization letterhead to (847) 869-0841, Attention: Permissions Department.






1. What is copyright?
Copyright is the legal right of creators of 'original works of authorship' that have been fixed in a tangible medium of expression, which include literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other creative works, both published and unpublished. Copyright law provides the following exclusive rights for copyright owners:

1. to reproduce all or part of the copyrighted work
2. to prepare derivative versions based on the original copyrighted work
3. to distribute copies of the copyrighted work to the public
4. to perform or display the copyrighted work publicly

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2. What is permission?
Permission is authorization to make a copy (printed or electronic) of material that is protected by copyright. Examples of copying for which permission is required include photocopying or re-publishing printed works, copying or re-recording songs, posting material to a web page, and transmitting or broadcasting via cable or satellite.
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3. How long does copyright protection last?
The length of copyright protection for a given work may depend on a number of factors, including the date the work was created, the publication history of the work, the life span of the author, and whether the work was created as a "work made for hire." Generally speaking, works that have been published in the United States since 1923 are protected by copyright. For more information on copyright duration and a summary of the 1998 Sony Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, which extends the term of copyright for copyrighted works in the U.S., see the U.S. Copyright Office's FAQ.
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4. Are out-of-print books still protected by copyright?
Whether a book is out of print or not does not affect its copyright status. The majority of McDougal Littell textbooks that are out of print are still protected by copyright.
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5. How do I find out who owns the copyright for a particular work?
You should consult the copyright notice in the work as well as any acknowledgments. If you have a photocopy that does not contain a copyright notice or list acknowledgments, refer to an original copy of the work. Additionally, the U.S. Copyright Office maintains records of registered works by author and title.
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6. What if material in a McDougal Littell textbook is credited to another source?
That means McDougal Littell requested and obtained permission from the rightsholder to use the material in our work. In that case, you must direct your request to the original rightsholder, since McDougal Littell is not in a position to grant permission.
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7. How will I know if McDougal Littell is not the rightsholder of a particular selection within a textbook?
It is important to review the acknowledgments for each selection carefully. Acknowledgments are located in the acknowledgments section (usually in the front or back of the book), on the copyright page, or on the same page as the material itself.
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8. How will I know if McDougal Littell is no longer the copyright holder of the entire work?
After receiving your written request, we will contact you if rights to a work have reverted or been transferred to another party.
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9. For what reason(s) might McDougal Littell deny permission?
McDougal Littell cannot grant permission if the rights to a work have been transferred. We do not have the right to grant permission for material for which we obtained permission to reprint. We will not grant permission if the amount of material requested exceeds 10% of an in-print publication. McDougal Littell considers all aspects of a request in making a final decision.
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10. How long is a permissions grant valid?
For classroom photocopying, permission is generally valid for one year. For publication in another book, permission is generally valid for 10 years, per edition.
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11. What information do you require to process a permissions request?
We require the following information to process your request. The more complete your request, the faster we can respond to you. Please see the Permissions Request Form to request permission online.

Title of work; Author or Editor; Edition; Volume; Copyright year; Page numbers being requested; Name of chapter, article, or figure. A brief description of how you intend to use the McDougal Littell content and in what formats (e.g. print, CD-ROM, password-protected Web site, etc.)Your name, full address, phone and fax numbers

For classroom use:
Course name; course number; estimated number of sets; term of use; instructor's name; instructor's affiliation; start of term

For inclusion in other publications:
Your book title, author and publisher; binding; estimated print run; publication date; list price; length; rights (US, North America, World); market (elementary, secondary, college, trade, custom publishing)
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12. Do you accept faxes and e-mails?
Yes. Please fax requests to: (847) 869-0841. In place of e-mail requests, please use our online form to request permission: Permissions Request Form
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13. What if the book is not a Houghton Mifflin School Division publication? Whom should I contact in your other divisions?
You will need to provide the same information as if you were requesting from a McDougal Littell title. Following is a list of fax numbers and address for other Houghton Mifflin Divisions:

Houghton Mifflin School Division (elementary school / K-8)
Permissions Department
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116-3764
fax (617) 351-1118

Houghton Mifflin College Division
Permissions Department
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116
fax (617) 351-3801

Houghton Mifflin Trade and Reference Division
Reference and Dictionary Permissions
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116-3764
fax (617) 351-1116
Houghton Mifflin Trade and Reference Division
Adult and Children's Trade Permissions
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
fax (212) 420-5899

Great Source Education Group
Permissions Department
181 Ballardvale Street
Wilmington, MA 01887
fax (978) 661-1333

Riverside Publishing (testing and assessment products only)
Permissions Department
425 Spring Lake Drive
Itasca, IL 60143-2079
fax (630) 467-6167
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