An interesting development

About a month ago, I received an interesting message on my YouTube account:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: a video"Do I need it?"
Please let us introduce ourselves. The Far East Book Co., established in 1950, is one of the oldest, most reputable and best-known publishers of English textbooks and dictionaries in Taiwan.

We are writing to ask for your permission to use the above video in the CD-ROMs for our Far East English Reader for Senior/Vocational High Schools. The Far East English Reader for Senior/Vocational High Schools is one of the textbooks officially approved by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China to be used at high schools in Taiwan. The CD-ROMs are provided to schools free of charge.

Please confirm with us if you hold the copyright permission for the above video, if yes, please let us know the procedure for obtaining this permission or tell us the contact details for the copyright permission. If you do not hold the copyright, thank you for your time and patience for this matter. Your response will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much and best regards.

Sincerely yours,

Andy Ku
Electronic Publishing Division
Far East Book Company

After doing a little bit of research and determining that Mr. Ku was a real human being who did indeed work at the Far East Book Company and was making an honest request, I replied:

Dear Mr. Ku,

I am the author and creator of the video, "Do I need it?" and I hold the copyright. I am delighted that you are interested in using my video for educational purposes. You have my permission to use the video for the sole purpose you have described as long as it is not altered from the format/lyrics found on YouTube. This permission in no way limits my right to bestow similar copyright permission to others who may ask. Would it be possible to see the finished product? I am curious about the context in which you will use "Do I need it?"

Thank you for your inquiry, and for asking permission.

Maria K

.

Last week, Mr. Ku got back to me, and made me very happy, because he is using my work as I intended it be used.

Dear Maria K.,
Thank you so much for your prompt reply and for granting us the permission to use the video free of charge. It is very much appreciated.
We will use the video in accordance with your conditions as stated in your email. Once the final product is ready, we will send you a link for downloading it.
We would like to download your video and use it for some English learning materials in a lesson called "Senseless Consumption". Thanks again.

Best regards,
Andy Ku

I made "Do I need it?" almost 4 years ago, and it has been steadily garnering viewers. That encourages me because it means that there are people out there willing to think more deeply about materialism and how senseless it can become. I like to think about the High School students of Taiwan learning a little English ditty that will hopefully remind them that less is more. You just never know how a little stone dropped into a pond will ripple out...