Public documents usually are not protected by copyright. However, I have seen cases in which, although the information in a state document was unprotected, the printer's typesetting and graphics were protected. In such a case, you could take notes or retype the information, but not photocopy or reprint the book directly. NCUNION-D-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > Subject: > > NCUNION-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 54 > > Today's Topics: > #1 Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws ["J Brittain" <judyb@pdq.net>] > #2 Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws ["WILLIAM NAVEY" <navey@hotmail.com] > #3 Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws ["WILLIAM NAVEY" <navey@hotmail.com] > #4 Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws ["Dale R Deason" <D1D@prodigy.net>] > > Administrivia: > To unsubscribe from NCUNION-D, send a message to > > NCUNION-D-request@rootsweb.com > > that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > > and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software > requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws > Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 19:35:09 -0800 > From: "J Brittain" <judyb@pdq.net> > To: NCUNION-L@rootsweb.com > > >If I'm not mistaken, the copyright laws were recently changed and the > number > >of yrs involved increased. ??? > > > >Julia in Houston, TX > > > > > >>Sharon has brought up a very interesting question in response to my recent > >>message concerning copyright laws. I consider this something that many of > >you > >>might want to be a little clearer on, so, since I use to work for a > >publisher, > >>I plan to contact some of my coworkers, and to research this question and > >will > >>publish what I find on the website. This is what Sharon asked me: > >> > >><<Anne, Do the copyright laws prohibit copying material that is placed in > >our > >>family research files, even if that information is not published, etc. I > >know > >>the library has a note on the copy machine regarding copying from books, > >but > >>the machine is there for that purpose! What about census books. I would > >>think that wouldn't have a copyright. Public records that are recorded > and > >>published wouldn't be copyrighted, is that correct. I am new to > researching > >>and need to learn all I can. Thanks, Sharon >> > >> > >> And this is my response to Sharon: > >> I never thought about census records being copyrighted...but I do not > >think > >>they are. I can find out from my company (I am retired from a private > >>publisher) who can give me the right answer. However, your public library > >>more than likely has a book or two on copyright laws. I used to edit a > >>newsletter for one of the craft groups and that was one of the things we > >were > >>asked about continuously. Check for books on the subject with your > >librarian, > >>but in the meantime, I will ask the right person at my company about the > >laws > >>and get back to you. I will probably put this type of thing out on the > >Union > >>County website for everyone to see. > >> Thanks for your question. Since I am writing a book on my family, it is > >>pertinent for me to find this information out for myself. Glad you asked > >it! > >>I will get back to you, but if a month goes by and you have not heard from > >me, > >>feel free to check with me, because it may be that the answer might not be > >>readily forthcoming. Anne > >> > >> > > > > > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws > Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 19:23:49 PST > From: "WILLIAM NAVEY" <navey@hotmail.com> > To: NCUNION-L@rootsweb.com > > Hello Everybody: > > Just had a bad situation, a lady sent me some info about > five years ago, I put it on my web page about a year ago > and she contacted me and said she was suing me over the > copyright, it was a family group sheet. > I contacted my lawyer, he said not worry about it, that names, > places, events and dates cannot be copyrighted. And in the > first place the ladies? information had never been published > therefore it was not copyrighted. > She also said I was to remove everyone in her family, back to > her ggrandfather or she would sue me over that. > My reply, I will remove your name only, each person must contact > me to have their name removed, they were all dead but her children > and so far none have contacted me. In my file now her childrens mother > is listed "Name removed by request". > > Bill > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws > Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 19:29:50 PST > From: "WILLIAM NAVEY" <navey@hotmail.com> > To: NCUNION-L@rootsweb.com > > Hello Everybody: > > Just had a bad situation, a lady sent me some info about > five years ago, I put it on my web page about a year ago > and she contacted me and said she was suing me over the > copyright, it was a family group sheet. > I contacted my lawyer, he said not worry about it, that names, > places, events and dates cannot be copyrighted. And in the > first place the ladies? information had never been published > therefore it was not copyrighted. > She also said I was to remove everyone in her family, back to > her ggrandfather or she would sue me over that. > My reply, I will remove your name only, each person must contact > me to have their name removed, they were all dead but her children > and so far none have contacted me. In my file now her childrens mother > is listed "Name removed by request". > > Bill > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: Re: [NCUNION-L] Re: Copyright laws > Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 23:31:00 -0500 > From: "Dale R Deason" <D1D@prodigy.net> > To: NCUNION-L@rootsweb.com > > This is an excellent site, though not a substitute for proper legal counsel > for individual cases Copyright Law Freq. Asked Questions > http://www.netmeg.net/faq/law/copyright-faq/ > > United States Copyright Office > http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/ > > Legal Ethics from Cornell University Law School > http://www.law.cornell.edu/disks96.html#ethics > > Text of the law > http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/projects/copyright/laws/S107.html