The Book Industry Study Group (BISG), led by its Rights Committee chaired by rights expert Kris Kliemann, has launched Find a Rightsholder, an innovative tool designed to assist the publishing community in locating rights and permissions contacts for publishers in the U.S. and U.K. This searchable, centralized database currently includes over 3,500 imprints, encompassing both active and many inactive or defunct imprints that are often difficult to trace. The tool enables users to determine rights ownership, connect with appropriate contacts, and streamline the process of securing content rights.
BISG Executive Director Brian O’Leary emphasized the importance of rights management, noting that without clear rights, revenue opportunities are limited. The new tool forms part of BISG’s broader initiative to build infrastructure that facilitates rights transactions, reduces errors, and creates new licensing possibilities.
Find a Rightsholder is a continually evolving resource, and BISG encourages publishers and rights professionals to submit updates, corrections, or new contact information for any missing imprints. All submissions undergo review and verification to maintain the database’s accuracy and relevance.
Users are also urged to report outdated or non-functioning contact links, allowing BISG to seek updated information and preserve the tool’s reliability as a rights and permissions resource. The BISG Rights Committee, composed of industry experts, is dedicated to establishing and promoting best practices in rights management. By improving the quality of rights data, the tool aims to reduce transaction costs, prevent licensing errors, and facilitate scalable monetization of intellectual property.
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