Appendix F: Return Policies for Book Production Files
Production File Return Policy Comparisons
|
Publisher |
Does Publisher Return Interior Production Files (InDesign or Similar)? |
Is the Return Policy Stated in the Publishing Contract? |
Stated Production File Return Policy 255 |
Cost to Have Files Returned |
|
Abbott Press |
No |
Yes |
“AUTHOR shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.” 256 |
$150 for PDF files; $50 for e-book files 257 |
|
Arbor Books |
Yes |
Unknown258 |
“In my company, you publish under your own name (a major advantage), so you own the production files. If you want them, let me know up front when we are assembling the contract.” 259 |
No cost |
|
Archway Publishing |
No |
Yes |
“AUTHOR shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.” 260 |
$150 for PDF files; $50 for e-book files |
|
AuthorHouse |
No |
Unknown 261 |
“AuthorHouse does not provide the final galley or cover files to the author for any reason.” 262 |
N/A |
|
Aventine Press |
Yes |
No 263 |
“We also will provide to you the InDesign files for the interior and Photoshop files for the cover at your request at the time that you officially leave Aventine Press at no cost.” 264 |
No cost |
|
Balboa Press |
No |
Yes |
“AUTHOR shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.” 265 |
$150 for PDF files; $50 for e-book files |
|
BookLocker |
Yes |
Yes |
“Many publishers also demand all rights to production files authors paid them to create. Under the terms above, BOOKLOCK- ER AUTHORS OWN THEIR PRODUCTION FILES. The Company’s philosophy regarding production files is: you paid for it, you should own it.” 266 |
No cost |
|
Booktango |
No |
No |
“Unfortunately, it is not possible to purchase the files after you cancel. Please be advised that the copyright to the files will be owned by Booktango so it’s also not possible to use any copy created by Booktango without permission.” 267 |
N/A |
|
Create- Space |
No |
Yes |
“Subject to your underlying rights in the Content, as between the parties, we will own all right, title and interest in and to the templates and other materials created, provided or used by us in our performance under this Agreement (including Source Files, Future-Proof Archive Files and Packaging Materials, including all Intellectual Property Rights therein).” 268 |
N/A |
|
Cross- Books |
No |
Yes |
“AUTHOR shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.” 269 |
$150 for PDF files; $50 for e-book files |
|
Dog Ear Publishing |
Yes |
Yes |
“Dog Ear will return to the author, upon request, the digital files used to produce the final work (exclusive of any licensed soft- ware).” 270 |
No cost |
|
Dorrance Publishing |
Yes |
Unknown |
“Yes, you would be able to obtain the production files as you own all of the rights to your work.” 271 |
No cost |
|
Infinity Publishing |
N/A 272 |
N/A |
“Because we paid to use the art from a stock photography site for your cover, you cannot keep the exact cover unless you purchase the images yourself as well. As for the interior, we can send you the book file at your request, but will remove the copyright page with our company information.” 273 |
N/A |
|
iUniverse |
No |
Yes |
“Author shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.” 274 |
$150 for PDF files; $50 for e-book files |
|
Llumina Press |
No |
Yes |
“AUTHOR agrees that high-resolution PDF, InDesign, or Photoshop files created by PUBLISHER for POD printing will be retained by PUBLISHER.”275 |
N/A |
|
Lulu |
N/A 276 |
N/A 277 |
“The publishing process converts your Content into publish-ready files. You may use these converted files to distribute and/or sell your Content, as you choose, through Lulu and/or distribution channel partners.”278 |
N/A |
|
Magic Valley Publishers |
No |
Yes |
“Publisher will have no obligation to provide Author any submitted materials or production files at any time or for any reason.”279 |
N/A |
|
Mill City Press |
Yes |
Yes |
“Customer at all times retains 100 percent of all right, title, and interest in and to the Book and its contents, including all copyrights, trademarks, derivative rights, and other intellectual property associated with the Book, Including but not limited to any source files, production files, cover art, interior formatting, or anything else created by Hillcrest for Customer’s Book pursuant to this Agreement.”280 |
No cost |
|
Outskirts Press |
Yes |
No |
“Yes, you do have the option of purchasing your InDesign files to use elsewhere if you decide to terminate your contract.”281 |
$499 |
|
Publish America |
Unclear |
Unknown 282 |
“No, you cannot keep the Design files. If your contract is cancelled, you will need to contact us for a copy.”283 |
“A fee” |
|
Tate Publishing |
Yes |
Unknown 284 |
“Yes, you can take them with you to another Publisher.” 285 |
No cost |
|
Trafford Publishing |
No |
Yes |
“We will retain in our possession all of the materials submitted by you. However, you shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.” 286 |
$150 for production files; $50 for e-book Files 287 |
|
Wasteland Press |
Yes |
Yes |
“The Author acknowledges and agrees that Wasteland Press acquires no right to ownership to the Work under this agreement and assumes no responsibility for reviewing or correcting the content of the Work. The Author retains full rights to all related cover images and other book-related files to Work and may use these files elsewhere. Upon request, Wasteland Press will provide all files to the Author at no charge.”288 |
No cost |
|
WestBow Press |
No |
Yes |
“AUTHOR shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.”289 |
$150 for production files; $50 for e-book files |
|
WinePress Publishing |
Varies |
Unknown290 |
“WinePress does not have any policy on providing or selling InDesign files to authors who cancel their agreements. If the situation comes up, or we receive a request from an author for InDesign files, we review the specific circumstances at the time and make a decision on that basis.” 291 |
Unknown |
|
Xlibris |
No |
Yes |
“AUTHOR shall have the right to purchase the text and cover digital production files of the WORK in PDF format and the .epub and .mobi files upon the effective date of termination of this Agreement.”292 |
$150 for PDF files; $50 for e-book files |
|
Xulon Press |
No |
No |
“We do offer your completed files to you but not the InDesign files.”293 |
Unknown |