Best Practices in Licensing

Overview

Licensing in the Digital Bible Library (DBL) ensures secure and controlled distribution of biblical content. Properly managing licenses allows organizations to share content responsibly while maintaining compliance with copyright regulations and organizational policies. This guide outlines best practices for structuring agreements, drafting and approving licenses, and ensuring ongoing compliance.

Licensing Models in DBL

DBL supports two primary licensing models:

Licensing Model	Description
Open Access	Members have immediate access to content under terms set by the providing organization, often through Creative Commons licenses.
Controlled Access	Organizations establish custom agreements that specify access terms, allowing controlled sharing of content outside of DBL.

A content item can have multiple agreements. If at least one is Open Access, the content is classified as open. If all agreements are Controlled Access, it remains restricted.

Agreement Drafting & Approval

Drafting an Agreement

Creating an agreement requires defining key details to ensure clarity and enforceability. Essential elements include:

Content Ownership – The rights-holder providing the content.
Usage Permissions – The specific rights granted to the distributor.
Expiration Date – The period of validity for the agreement.
Additional Clauses – Special conditions such as attribution requirements or usage limitations.

Refer to Drafting an Agreement for detailed steps.

Approval Process

Once an agreement is drafted, it follows a structured workflow:

Contributor Organization (Content Provider) initiates and defines terms.
Distributor Organization reviews, negotiates (if needed), and either approves or denies the agreement.

The agreement progresses through the following statuses:

Status	Description
In Progress	Agreement is being drafted or negotiated.
Pending Approval	Awaiting review by the other party.
Active	Fully approved and in effect.
Expiring Soon	Nearing expiration and eligible for renewal.
Expired	No longer active.

Agreement Management & Compliance

Monitoring Active Agreements

Regular tracking ensures agreements remain valid and compliant. License Managers can:

Track expiration dates and renewal deadlines.
Use filters to locate agreements by status.
View historical agreements for reference.

DBL sends automated renewal reminders at 90, 30, and 7 days before expiration.

Handling Renewals and Expirations

When an agreement nears expiration, options include:

Renewal Action	Description
Extend Agreement	Keep all terms the same while extending validity.
Create New Agreement	Modify terms and initiate a new approval process.
Distributor Request	A distributor may request renewal, subject to contributor approval.

Security & Compliance

Access Control

Agreement management in DBL is restricted to authorized roles to ensure security and accuracy. Only License Managers can create, approve, or modify agreements, maintaining control over licensing decisions. Non-license managers have view-only permissions, allowing them to access agreements but not make changes.

Role	Permissions
License Manager	Can create, approve, modify, and archive agreements.
Non-License Manager	View-only access to agreements and templates.

Compliance Enforcement

All agreements must comply with DBL policies and copyright laws. Any modifications require legal or compliance team review before approval to ensure they align with organizational and legal requirements.

To maintain transparency, agreements should be securely documented for auditing purposes, creating a clear record of approvals, modifications, and denials.

By following these best practices, organizations can efficiently manage licenses, ensuring compliant and secure distribution of biblical content while mitigating potential legal and financial risks.