Hi group A big thank you to Scott, Korene, Bennie and Cliff for letting me know this newsgroup is still 'alive'. I found Copyright newsgroup at Rootsweb, hoping those who have subscribed would have done so because they are confused with copyright issues pertaining to family history research. As with other subscribers (I guess) I am currently writing a book about my family and it's history. Having spent six solid years having fun collecting information and connecting to others throughout the world my research just grew 'n grew (just like Topsy!). That book which my rellies have kidded me about writing began to materialise before my eyes. My experiences have been interesting, to say the least, and fun, at most times; frustrating at others. It seemed to me that my 'fun' and fascination quickly ended when I began to look at copyright issues. Went to the Australian Copyright Council website and downloaded the Aus. Copyright Act. Boy oh Boy! Hundreds of pages of complicated legal terminology - I wondered if I had incorrectly chose the wrong language as a fair deal of this is not in the English language my limited knowledge understands. Since then I have found various booklets published by this same Copyright Council and some of these relate to family history. Have ordered a book from them and look forward to being able to see just what this copyright caper is all about! My need soon became evident that I should communicate with others who are "in the same boat". My question at this stage: Are you all interested in copyright issues in relation to family history? Have thousands of other questions to ask, but will wait to see if this booklet answers any of these. I could be wrong, but think the copyright laws in Australia differ from those in the U.S. Writing 'that' book, for me was fun - perhaps publishing the thing is not? Look forward to hearing from others. Regards Kay from Sydney, Australia

Kay, don't believe we're gonna get a rise out of Scott, but I'll throw my 2 cents in. I'm a little confused about what you would have in your family history book that might fit under the copyright (US) rules? If it's just names, dates, places, compiled by you and from info obtained from family members, I don't see a problem, IF you have their OK to publish the info in the book. If you are quoting parts of another book somewhere, I think that is OK, too, as long as you give the source. Of course, another question would come up if you plan to publish the book for profit. I, too, plan to publish a family history in the near future, but copyright issues had not crossed my mind. Australian copyright guidelines may be different than the US. Scott, you're one of the experts here, what do you say? Bennie Kay Clark wrote: > > Hi group > > A big thank you to Scott, Korene, Bennie and Cliff for letting me know this > newsgroup is still 'alive'. > > I found Copyright newsgroup at Rootsweb, hoping those who have subscribed > would have done so because they are confused with copyright issues > pertaining > to family history research. > > As with other subscribers (I guess) I am currently writing a book about my > family and it's history. > > Having spent six solid years having fun collecting information and > connecting to others throughout the world my research just grew 'n grew > (just like Topsy!). That book which my rellies have kidded me about writing > began to materialise before my eyes. My experiences have been interesting, > to say the least, and fun, at most times; frustrating at others. > > It seemed to me that my 'fun' and fascination quickly ended when I began to > look at copyright issues. Went to the Australian Copyright Council website > and downloaded the Aus. Copyright Act. Boy oh Boy! Hundreds of pages of > complicated legal terminology - I wondered if I had incorrectly chose the > wrong language as a fair deal of this is not in the English language my > limited knowledge understands. > > Since then I have found various booklets published by this same Copyright > Council and some of these relate to family history. Have ordered a book > from them and look forward to being able to see just what this copyright > caper is all about! > > My need soon became evident that I should communicate with others who are > "in the same boat". > > My question at this stage: > Are you all interested in copyright issues in relation to family history? > > Have thousands of other questions to ask, but will wait to see if this > booklet answers any of these. > > I could be wrong, but think the copyright laws in Australia differ from > those in the U.S. > > Writing 'that' book, for me was fun - perhaps publishing the thing is not? > > Look forward to hearing from others. > > Regards Kay from Sydney, Australia > > ==== COPYRIGHT Mailing List ==== > Threaded archives at > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/COPYRIGHT-L/ > > ============================== > The only real-time collaboration tool that allows you and other family > members to create a FREE, password-protected family tree. > http://www.ancestry.com/oft/login.asp