The Value of Use of Creative Commons Licensing

By Nancy Sims (Copyright Program Librarian, University of Minnesota Libraries)

The November 2021 issue of Against the Grain highlights the varying perspectives of numerous stakeholders on the value and use of Creative Commons licensing.

Our guest editor, Nancy Sims, Copyright Program Librarian at the University of Minnesota Libraries, has compiled three articles focusing on unique stakeholders. They range from graduate student authors to librarians and publishing advisors to the editors of the open access journal AGITATE! Their observations and opinions are both informative and thought provoking and based on direct experience in working with Creative Commons licensing.

The full titles and running order are as follows: Graduate Student Authors’ Experiences with Creative Commons Licenses; Perspectives from Another Angle: Publishing Advisors; and AGITATE! As Creative Commons: AGITATE! Editorial Collective Speaks to Nancy Sims.

Naturally, we think that this issue of ATG offers valuable insights into an important topic that is of concern to all of our readers. But more than that, it recounts varying experiences with Creative Commons licensing drawn from real life practitioners. After reading these three articles, you will have gained a richer understanding of the uses and impacts of Creative Commons licensing as expressed by multiple voices, all of whom are directly involved. Enjoy!

From the Creative Commons website: “Creative Commons licenses give everyone from individual creators to large institutions a standardized way to grant the public permission to use their creative work under copyright law. From the reuser’s perspective, the presence of a Creative Commons license on a copyrighted work answers the question, “What can I do with this work?” Six types of licenses and the public domain dedication tool give creators a range of options.” See https://creativecommons.org/about/ cclicenses/ for a full list and descriptions of the various types of licenses available.