Copyright frequently has a way of outpacing technology. The two forces of innovation all too rarely intersect, at least for many authors and publishers. But a month-old startup with ambitions to revolutionize textbook publishing has made copyright permissions an integral part of its app.
“Professors and librarians who’ve looked at Ginkgotree have really loved the direction we’re headed. They’ve specifically pointed out that copyright clearance is a huge hurdle for them to tackle,” Lida Hasbrouck of Ginkgotree tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. Company founder Scott Hasbrouck adds that the Gingkotree textbook publishing app differentiates itself from many others like it by a precise focus on instructors and their classroom needs. “No one’s really been truly innovating in what professors want. I saw a huge opportunity for change,” he explains.
Inside Higher Education reported on Ginkgotree’s launch earlier this month, noting that, “The process of creating a course packet is incredibly easy and works for print and other media types. Just search for the title you want, list the page numbers you want included, and the app will create a PDF so that you don’t need to. The app also checks copyright clearance (using the Copyright Clearance Center’s API) and lists the price that students will have to pay for copyright fees.”
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