Publishers Licensing Society

The Publishers Licensing Society (PLS) is a not-for-profit organisation that represents many book, magazine and journal publishers based in the United Kingdom. PLS works to ensure that publishers are fairly compensated for any copying of their works through the collective licensing scheme, among other rights management services, which have become an increasing important secondary revenue stream for publishers. Its primary goal is to oversee collective licensing in the UK for book, journal, magazine and website copying. The society was established in 1981. Together with the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society, PLS own and direct the Copyright Licensing Agency. They also work in partnership with NLA media access [what is NLA?].

PLS distributed £36.4m to publishers from collective licensing in 2013–14, and they work to encourage innovation and good practice in rights management, whether that is in print or online.

Services PLS also provide a range of rights management services and initiatives.

Collective Licensing offers a simple and cost effective solution both for those who wish to copy from published materials without breaking the law, and for rights holders where direct licensing would be inefficient and unduly burdensome.

A blanket license allows users to copy from a broad range of repertoire in return for a license fee. The license fee is paid to the rights holders whose publications have been shown to have been copied.

PLS is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. They are owned and controlled by the three trade associations representing publishers' interests: the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP); the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG); the Professional Publishers Association (PPA); the Publishers Association (PA).

Up to three directors are nominated by each of the trade association members of PLS (the Association of Learned and Professional Publishers, the Professional Publishers Association and the Publishers Association) and are approved by the Board. The Chairman is appointed by the Board and is independent of the members. The Chief Executive is appointed by the Board.

With the introduction of the dry photocopier in the early 1970s, the situation on control of copyright in the UK’s main institutions ran out of control. Machines appeared everywhere and infringements proliferated.

...
Wikipedia