Exempting Harvard’s Librarian-Scholars from the Work-for-Hire Doctrine | Harvard Library

"Just as we [at Harvard Library] support open access to scholarship by Harvard faculty, we support open access to scholarship by Harvard librarians and library staff. In keeping with this commitment, the Library announces two initiatives: a new voluntary Individual Open-Access License and a new work-for-hire exception for library staff who publish scholarship....

As of this announcement, Harvard Library states that it does not consider works written by librarians or library staff to be “works for hire” under copyright law when the works are:

•    scholarly articles •    written principally on non-work time; and •    written outside the scope of employment....