A method, system and software for permitting use of digital works having rights associated therewith in a system having repositories configured to enable use of the digital work in accordance with the rights, including associating a transfer right with a digital work, the transfer right specifying that the digital work is transferred from a first repository to a second repository; transferring the digital work from the first repository to the second repository in accordance with the transfer right; and in response to the transferring, step updating transfer right information in respect of the digital work.