Frequently Asked Questions
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Please see the distribution calendar on the Financials page of the ASCRL Website for details.
The amount distributed to you and other claimants will be based upon the amount collected by ASCRL, the number of claims submitted, and the information provided by each claimant. Each qualified claimant receives a share-based upon the claimant's publication history and ASCRL's distribution rules.
If you create or own the copyright in visual works, use the JOIN ASCRL button to apply for ASCRL membership. Before ASCRL distributes reprographic funds, you will be notified on the ASCRL website, and you will be provided with an opportunity to submit a claim for a share of the funds that are distributed.
No. The membership terms do not give ASCRL copyright ownership in your work or any right to license your work on an individual basis.
CLICK HERE To See the ASCRL Membership Agreement. You will also find the ASCRL Membership Agreement on the ASCRL registration platform.
Many foreign countries provide authors and rights owners compensation under legally mandated statutory systems. These systems vary widely. Some of these legal systems require specific payments for specific uses as a condition for legal use. Some require payments through collecting societies, which are legally empowered to negotiate rates for specific uses, and those rates become the legally mandated rate for those uses. In addition, some legal systems have levies, taxes or fees, that are assessed on reprographic equipment (copiers), computers (and computer devices that are able to copy visual works), or certain uses that may not be compensated in the United States but that are compensated abroad, (e.g., library lending fees that are paid by foreign libraries for lending books, the foreign government uses, or certain foreign educational system uses). There are many variations. A detailed legal definition is set forth in the ASCRL Membership Agreement. You may also find out more information from the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO), of which ASCRL is a member.
No, but ASCRL encourages visual artists and rights owners to support their trade associations. When you register, you can also designate that certain trade associations may receive a portion of your funds if you wish to support a particular association. You are not required to make such donations, and your right to receive ASCRL funds is not affected by your choice.
If you create or own the copyright in visual works and have at least three (3) published works, you are eligible for ASCRL membership. You must also be a United States citizen (or a Foreign National whose works have been published in the United States). You can provide this information on your membership registration form.
If you are eligible, just fill out the membership form, provide the necessary information, and you are a member!
ASCRL membership is free.
Initial funding for the founding of the organization and development of administrative infrastructure was provided by supporting visual arts and photography organizations and individuals. ASCRL operations are now funded by an administrative fee established with the collecting societies that distribute funds to ASCRL or from funds that are retained from reprographic funds that are collected and distributed by ASCRL, on a cost-recovery, non-profit basis, and under a self-imposed mandate to maximize the amounts delivered by ASCRL to creators and copyright owners.
No. The ASCRL Directors serve as unpaid volunteers. The ASCRL bylaws authored by the Founding Directors forbid compensation to Directors.
The Board of Directors of ASCRL and the Board of Advisors of ASCRL and serve without compensation. (See "Meet The Team, on the Home Page). The Chief Executive Officer is a paid employee of the organization, responsible for day to day operations. In addition to the Boards' oversight, and the CEO's management, ASCRL relies upon third party integrations with some of the world's leading financial institutions, security monitoring firms, and IT professionals, and support contractors who assist with data management and other key organizational functions.
ASCRL is a not-for-profit organization. While organizations and individuals may join ASCRL as members, neither organizations nor individuals may hold an ownership interest in ASCRL.
ASCRL Advocates for and is in the process of implementing domestic collective rights licenses in the United States. Once established, members will have the opportunity to opt into these domestic licenses. In addition, ASCRL identifies and collects reprographic funds from foreign reprographic rights organizations and administers and distributes the funds to visual work authors and rights owners in the USA (and for Foreign Nationals whose works are published in the United States.
Jul 2015
To secure and distribute equitable compensation to authors and rights holders for the use of their visual works
The American Society for Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL) is a not-for-profit Collective Management Organization.