Mark is free to post listings. That is not the issue. What the copyright infringement was is directly copying from the book without citing the source or getting permission to use the material exactly as another has created it. The Society has no copyright on the public records only on their original works. No one can use what it not in the public domain without citing it or obtaining permission until the copy right years have past. Anything that is an original creation is automatically copyrighted. There are websites explain copyrights online if more explanation is needed. No one asked Mark to take his site down. I feel that he does a great service for people and should continue. All he was asked was to not scan the pages directly onto the cite but make them his original creation not a copy of someone else's work. I agree that public records should be available to all. Volunteers spend countless hours compiling these books which often contain material that most people would have difficulty obtaining on their own. Those who cannot or don't wish to purchase books can find them in the many libraries and genealogy societies that we have given books to (free) and go to our website or write us and ask for what they need. Many libraries and societies charge a fee for research. We don't. We frequently refer people to Mark's website and have a link for it on ours. We also refer people to the Delphos website for the Marion Township cemeteries which have not been published elsewhere. I, too, agree that Mark should continue his website. There should be as many sources to do research as possible but they should contain different materials and be original to the compiler, author, or website master. I hope this clarifies the issue for those who misunderstood what it was. No one has claimed copyright on public records. Well known genealogy lecturer and author, Amy Johnson Crow does a lecture and has written a book on copyright based on her own experience with copyright issues. More information can be found at www.copytight.gov and on Cyndi's list, www.cyndislist.com. Debbie Carder Mayes http://allencogenealogysociety.homestead.com/Main.html www.tribalpages.com/tribes/deb6102 www.tribalpages.com/tribes/dac6102 www.rootsweb.com/~ohallen/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill" <billbobb@bright.net> To: <ohallen@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2007 8:31 AM Subject: [OHALLEN] Allen County Cemetery Webpage Updates > It seems to me that cooler heads should prevail and maybe a simple > compromise should be worked out. > Having just published a family history book, and having had same > copyrighted, I am familiar with many of the copyright laws. While it is > true that one may not copyright "public records", one may copyright a work > that compiles "public records". What is copyrighted is the format in which > they are presented. > Societies make money by compiling this data and selling same. Their work > and efforts need to be protected. A few years ago, I had to help resolve a > dispute between two societies, where one have complied such a book and the > other took it and had it published, and sold same. Societies are now urged > to place copyrights on their works. > If someone takes the work of the society and distributes same for free, > how is that fair to the society, who has spent time and money publishing > their work. > But if I understand Debbie correctly, the society does not object to > Mark's website. He seems to be upset with the tone of the message he got. > If the society would agree, Mark could use some of their material on this > site, and give them credit and note that the book as compiled by the > society is copyrighted. > I know that Mark thought he was doing everyone a favor, but there are > society members who spent hours reading the cemeteries and then indexing > and compiling the information, so it could be put in book form and sold. > This allows the society to make money and do their projects and programs. > (and keep dues low) > > I would hope that both sides discuss this further and maybe find middle > ground and resolve this situation. > > Bill Huber > > Visit the Allen County OHGenWeb site. > http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohallen/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > OHALLEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message