Authors Alliance Annual Report 2015

"Our mission is to promote authorship for the public good by supporting authors who write to be read. We assist and represent authors who want to disseminate knowledge and products of the imagination broadly.  Although digital networks make it easier than ever before to reach audiences all over the world, many authors encounter barriers that frustrate their dissemination goals. Authors who are eager to share their existing works may discover that the works are out of print, un-digitized, and subject to copyrights signed away long before the digital age. Authors who are eager to share new works may feel torn between publication outlets that maximize public access and others that restrict access but provide important value in terms of peer review, prestige, or monetary reward. Authors may also struggle to understand how to navigate fair use and the rights clearance process in order to lawfully build on existing works. Authors Alliance exists to ensure that these authors have the information, tools, and support they need to overcome these challenges and thereby disseminate knowledge and products of the imagination broadly. We provide information and tools designed to help authors better understand and manage key legal, technological, and institutional aspects of authorship in the digital age ..."