Legal Definitions - copyright clearinghouse

A copyright clearinghouse is an organization that grants licenses to individuals or companies who want to use copyrighted works for specific purposes. These organizations usually specialize in licensing one type of work, such as songs, photographs, cartoons, or written materials.

• The Harry Fox Agency is a clearinghouse that licenses the use of songs for mechanical reproduction, such as for CDs or digital downloads.
• The Copyright Clearance Center is a clearinghouse that licenses the use of written materials, such as articles or book chapters, for academic or commercial purposes.

These examples illustrate how a copyright clearinghouse works by granting licenses for specific uses of copyrighted works. The Harry Fox Agency specializes in licensing songs for mechanical reproduction, while the Copyright Clearance Center specializes in licensing written materials for academic or commercial purposes.