Open Textbook - Usage Rights

Usage Rights

For more details on this topic, see open content.

The defining difference between open textbooks and traditional textbooks is that the copyright permissions on open textbooks allow the public to freely use, adapt and distribute the material. Open textbooks either reside in the public domain or are released under an open license that grants usage rights to the public so long as the author is attributed.

The copyright permissions on open textbooks extend to all members of the public and cannot be rescinded. These permissions include the right to do the following:

  • use the textbook freely
  • create and distribute copies of the textbook
  • adapt the textbook by revising it or combining it with other materials

Some open licenses limit these rights to non-commercial use or require that adapted versions be licensed the same as the original.

Read more about this topic:  Open Textbook

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