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From 7 June 2021, the licensing of out-of-commerce works will no longer be possible in its present form.

Now that all the legal bases have come into force and the licensing terms have been agreed, and following the signing of the framework agreement on the use of out-of-commerce works in published writings in February 2025, everything is set for a new start.

VW-LiS Update

Since 2014, the German Collecting Societies Act (VGG) and the act that preceded it have opened up opportunities for digitising and granting free access to out-of-commerce works published during the 20th century.

In this context, the German National Library has established the licensing service for out-of-commerce works (VW-LiS) in order to make it easier for cultural heritage institutions to identify and to apply for user licences for library holdings (books, journals, newspapers and press releases) that are out-of-commerce.

VW-LiS consolidates the licensing processes for out-of-commerce works in published writings and offers you a simple way to facilitate the legally compliant provision of such works. In recent years, VW-LiS has become an integral part of the digitisation projects, specialist-information services and customer services at many libraries.

This service is provided in cooperation with the collecting management organisation VG Wort (only available in German), which issues licences for out-of-commerce works in published writings (books, journals, newspapers and press releases). Information on out-of-commerce works is published in the European Union's central „Out-of-commerce Works Portal“ when an application is made. Until the end of 2025, this information will be made available in the national register of out-of-commerce works kept by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA).

My VW-LiS Account

As a registered cultural heritage institution, you can continue to access your VW-LiS user account in order to manage your licence applications.

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