[Downloaded from Dick Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter, dated Feb 18, 2015] Our Present History Could Be Lost to Future Generations One of the fathers of the Internet claims this century could be lost to future historians. I am not sure I agree with Vint Cerf, now a vice president at Google, but I do believe his comments are worth reading and considering. Data presently stored on outdated technology such as VHS tapes, vinyl records, cassette tapes and floppy disks has already been lost, according Cerf. That is just the beginning, he told a conference last week hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The lack of an electronic storage mechanism that can withstand centuries of time threatens to erode documents and digitally-stored memories through a process he has often referred to as “bit rot.” You can read more in an article in MarketWatch at http://goo.gl/ETtfgK New York City Board of Health Limits Access to Death Records 1949-to Present The following was written by the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) Public Records Access Monitoring Committee: http://tinyurl.com/lqgscb4 The Board of Health for the City of New York adopted changes to the New York City Health Code articles 205 and 207 in late 2014. A public hearing was held on November 14, 2014 and no comments were received. The proposal was presented to the Board of Health on October 7, 2014 in response to a comment from one of the board’s members. Unfortunately, the genealogical community was not aware of the hearing or notice. At its December 9, 2014 meeting the Board of Health adopted the new articles which may be read at: http://www nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/notice/2014/noa-205-207.pdf Basically it expands access to confidential medical reports for deaths that occurred prior to January 1, 2010 and clarifies who may obtain a death certificate…genealogists are not included. It adds siblings, grandparents and grandchildren to the list of people who may access confidential medical reports of death. The only persons who may obtain or inspect records, files, reports, transcripts about deaths are: 1) the spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild of the decedent, (2) the legal representative of the estate of the decedent, or the individual identified on a death certificate filed with the Department as the person in control of the disposition; (3) a party with a property right who demonstrates to the Department that information beyond the fact of the death of the decedent is necessary to protect or assert a right of that party; (4) a funeral director who requests the record or information within twelve (12) months of when the death of his or her client was registered; or 5) persons or government agencies who otherwise establish that such records are necessary or required for a judicial or other proper purpose[;]or to prevent the misuse or misappropriation of City, state or federal governmental funds My thanks to Jan Meisels Allen, Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee for telling me about these new restrictions. The Majority of Books Published Before 1964 Are Free of Copyrights Over and over, genealogists have been told that the copyright has expired for all works published in the United States before 1923. In other words, if the work was published in the U.S. before January 1, 1923, anyone is free to republish excerpts or even the entire book without obtaining permission. That statement remains correct today. However, many genealogists are not aware that the overwhelming majority of all books published prior to 1964 are also free of copyright. That’s “the overwhelming majority of all books” but not all of them. Between 1923 and 1964, a renewal registration was required to prevent the expiration of copyright. If a work was first published before January 1, 1964, the owner had to file a renewal with the Copyright Office during the 28th year after publication. No renewal meant a loss of copyright. In other words, for all books published prior to 1964, the copyrights expired before January 11, 1992 IF THE COPYRIGHT WAS NOT RENEWED. However, a 1961 report from the U.S. Copyright Office estimates that 85% of the books never had the copyrights renewed. (See http://www.copyright.gov/history/studies/study31.pdf, page 187.) Therefore, those books are now public domain. Grundy County, Illinois, Coroner’s Office to Digitize Old Records The Grundy County Coroner’s Office is doing its part to try and preserve local history. The coroner’s office’s death investigation documents, some dating back to the 1800s, are being digitized by SBS Group of Indiana. The public will not have access to investigation or forensic details, but can obtain cause and manners of death. The project is not costing taxpayers any money. “Quite often every year, people come in doing family trees and genealogy, asking about death records and in the past we have looked them up and try to accommodate,” Coroner John Callahan said. “But we have records back from the 1800s and some have become very brittle over the years.” According to Jeff Magallanes of the SBS Group, “There are two reasons a government office should digitize its documents: for preservation of records and for easier access. It ensures records don’t get lost over time.” The Coroner’s Office will first set up one computer in the office for public access for anyone who visits the office. “At some point in time in the future, we don’t have all the details worked out, but I would like to offer all that online so people don’t have to leave their homes to access the information,” said Coroner John Callahan. You can read more in an article by Christina Chapman-van Yperen in the Morris Daily Herald at http://goo.gl/GfmehA