If you would like to re-use a figure or extended section of text in your book that has previously been published elsewhere, you’ll need to follow our permissions guidelines, including:
- getting permission from the copyright holder of the content in writing - this is usually the publisher
- citing the source in the caption of the figure
- sending the written permission to us when you submit your chapter.
Please see our permissions policy here:
If you are looking for information on permission to re-use IET content, please see our policy on this here:
Seeking permission from other signatories to the STM Permissions Guidelines
The STM Permissions Guidelines offer voluntary and reciprocal guidelines amongst Signatory STM Publishers to reuse limited amounts of material from published works.
Every publisher who’s signed up will give you permission to re-use some material free of charge, and you might not even need to ask, but please review the list and guidelines carefully for quantity limits and requirements.
Seeking permission from non-signatories to the STM Permissions Guidelines
Not all publishers of STEM content have signed up to the STM Permissions Guidelines. For non-signatories, you will need to approach the publisher for permission to re-use published content. Some publishers charge for this – unfortunately, the IET cannot cover the costs of obtaining permission, and we recommend you source material elsewhere if you can.
Permission for Open Access content
Some open access licences allow for the re-use of content published under that licence, others still require permission to be sought. Please check the licence requirements for any open access content you intend to re-use.
Do I need permission?
Short, cited quotes from published works do not typically require permission, nor does the re-use of raw published data - though the source should still be cited. For OA content, please check the OA licence. The re-use of any other content that you did not create yourself likely requires permission from the copyright holder.
For further guidance on how to obtain permission, including support on how to fill out permission requests forms, please contact us for guidance at author_support@theiet.org.
How am I paid royalties?
We pay your royalties annually, covering sales of all book formats in the previous calendar year, directly into your bank account. You’ll receive a statement by email, detailing how many copies of your book we sold in print, and your book’s allocation of our ebook revenue. Please be sure to let us know about any changes to your contact details or bank details.
Piracy and copyright infringement
These are unfortunate features of today’s publishing landscape, and we completely understand if you’re somewhat concerned.
Our approach to piracy is to target the websites that host unauthorised files and use legal forms called ‘take-down notices’ to get the files removed. We’ve partnered with the Publishers’ Association to actively monitor the leading sites known for hosting unauthorised files. It’s an effective method, and over two-thirds of the pirated files are removed within a few days of the notice being received.
The internet is a seemingly endless platform and we might sometimes miss something. If you see an unauthorised copy of your book, send us the address of the website, and we’ll ask our connections at the PA to issue a takedown notice.
For questions or more information on any of the above, please email author_support@theiet.org