This article describes the author's experience working with copyright and teachers' level of awareness or unawareness of the basics about copyright. The article is divided into sections on the following topics: Rewards for Authors; Hypothetical Scenarios; Options for Managing Authors' Rights; and Emerging Principles for Scholarly Communications. The article concludes that faculties, students, and professional staff should have access to training or other institutional resources that accurately describe copyright law, explain institutional policies, and provide guidance on how to best negotiate agreements with publishers. Focusing on unbundling current and future rights to scholarly materials could usher in a new era of copyright management that can better meet the needs of scholars and publishers alike. A brief list of related resources is included.