copyright and licensing policy

Copyright and Our Open Access Commitment

Authors and speakers retain copyright in their contributions to Pivot Press publications.

Pivot Press makes all digital editions of its publications openly available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This allows scholarly work to circulate freely online while preserving authors' rights and the integrity of their work.

In plain terms, this means:

  • You are free to read, download, copy and share our digital publications.
  • You may do so only for noncommercial purposes (i.e., you may not sell the work).
  • You must credit the author and Pivot Press.
  • You may not alter, remix, or adapt the work.
  • You do not need to ask permission to do anything listed above.

If you have questions about uses not covered by this license, please contact: info@pivotpress.org

Physical (Print) Editions

Pivot Press publishes and sells print editions (hardcover, paperback, and special editions) under standard copyright law.

The Creative Commons license applies only to digital editions (such as PDFs and ebooks). It does not apply to print books.

For print editions:

  • Entire books may not be photocopied or scanned for redistribution.
  • Libraries may not make multiple copies for circulation.
  • Instructors may not reproduce chapters for course packs without permission.
  • Standard "fair use," such as brief quotations for teaching, scholarship, criticism, or review, still applies.

For permission to use print material (e.g., excerpts, course packs, anthologies), please contact: info@pivotpress.org

Note: Our free digital editions are intended to provide an open-access alternative for many educational and instructional uses.

Why Open Access?

Pivot Press is guided by the belief that knowledge is a common inheritance.

By publishing digital editions under Creative Commons:

  • Authors retain copyright and control over their work.
  • Readers worldwide can access scholarship regardless of ability to pay.
  • Educators and institutions can share materials with students.
  • Researchers and thinkers can engage with and cite shared knowledge.

Revenue from the sale of physical editions helps sustain this open-access publishing model.

Full License Terms

This page is intended to provide a plain-language summary of our licensing approach. For complete legal terms, see:

Questions?

For questions about permissions, licensing, or citations, please contact: info@pivotpress.org