These selected resources may be of use for faculty members involved in research and publication. This evolving reference collection includes materials related to authors' rights, contracts, publication venues, data management and other items of interest. For more about the library's support services for research and publication, visit http://library.cmu.edu/datapub/sc and http://library.cmu.edu/RDM.
Understanding and Negotiating Book Publication Contracts (PDF)
A CC-BY licensed guide that identifies clauses that frequently appear in publishing contracts and explains in plain language what these terms (and typical variations) mean. The guide also presents strategies for negotiating “author-friendly” versions of these clauses. Beyond the clauses and frequently used language, the guide also has sections that are related to author obligations, book publication workflows, production, and marketing, as well as a section on the finances for authors. You can also learn more about the guide from the Authors Alliance blog post.