Only if they were reprinted for profit. -----Original Message----- From: Marvalene [mailto:marvalene@columbus.rr.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 4:03 PM To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights Would there be a copyright infringement if the obit was in a newspaper that was available to the public?

There is always a wide variety of opinion and understanding about copyright laws. I have found this website to be informative http://stellar-one.com/copyrightgenealogy/ . But, I can say that if an article or creative work is still under copyright, then it doesn't matter if it was republished for free or for profit ... the copyright holder could lower the gavel. So, just be informed and wary. I think that stellar-one site is good for keeping genealogists informed. I hope it is helpful. Regards, Natalie Yavornitzky -----Original Message----- From: Jan Tremain [mailto:jtremain@chillicotheohio.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 2:09 PM To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights Only if they were reprinted for profit. -----Original Message----- From: Marvalene [mailto:marvalene@columbus.rr.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 4:03 PM To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights Would there be a copyright infringement if the obit was in a newspaper that was available to the public?

Natalie is right -- the stellar-one site has an excellent explanation of copyright laws. Two rules of thumb to remember: 1. If it was published before 1923, it is in the public domain (meaning there is no copyright on it). 2. Posting on a website or on a mailing list (such as this one) *is* a form of publishing. Amy Natalie Yavornitzky wrote: >There is always a wide variety of opinion and understanding about copyright >laws. I have found this website to be informative >http://stellar-one.com/copyrightgenealogy/ . But, I can say that if an >article or creative work is still under copyright, then it doesn't matter if >it was republished for free or for profit ... the copyright holder could >lower the gavel. So, just be informed and wary. I think that stellar-one >site is good for keeping genealogists informed. I hope it is helpful. > >Regards, > >Natalie Yavornitzky > >-----Original Message----- >From: Jan Tremain [mailto:jtremain@chillicotheohio.com] >Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 2:09 PM >To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: RE: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights > >Only if they were reprinted for profit. > >-----Original Message----- >From: Marvalene [mailto:marvalene@columbus.rr.com] >Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 4:03 PM >To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights > >Would there be a copyright infringement if the obit was in a newspaper that >was available to the public? > > > > > > >

Hi - You cannot "recopywright" something by posting on a website or mailing list. Just because you reprint it does not give you copyright, unless I'm mis-interpreting your second point. My local gene. society reprinted the county history, even adding a every name index. This did not make us the copyright holder of the new edition, because it was simply a copy of the first publication (which was in public domain). Respectfully, Sandy Amy Johnson Crow wrote: > Natalie is right -- the stellar-one site has an excellent explanation > of copyright laws. > > Two rules of thumb to remember: > 1. If it was published before 1923, it is in the public domain > (meaning there is no copyright on it). > 2. Posting on a website or on a mailing list (such as this one) *is* a > form of publishing. > > Amy > > > Natalie Yavornitzky wrote: > >> There is always a wide variety of opinion and understanding about >> copyright >> laws. I have found this website to be informative >> http://stellar-one.com/copyrightgenealogy/ . But, I can say that if an >> article or creative work is still under copyright, then it doesn't >> matter if >> it was republished for free or for profit ... the copyright holder could >> lower the gavel. So, just be informed and wary. I think that stellar-one >> site is good for keeping genealogists informed. I hope it is helpful. >> >> Regards, >> >> Natalie Yavornitzky >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Jan Tremain [mailto:jtremain@chillicotheohio.com] Sent: >> Wednesday, January 26, 2005 2:09 PM >> To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com >> Subject: RE: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights >> >> Only if they were reprinted for profit. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Marvalene [mailto:marvalene@columbus.rr.com] >> Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 4:03 PM >> To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com >> Subject: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights >> >> Would there be a copyright infringement if the obit was in a >> newspaper that >> was available to the public? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > >

So, if a person did not derive any profit, except the satisfaction of passing on information, then obits would not be copyrighted. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jan Tremain" <jtremain@chillicotheohio.com> To: <OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 4:09 PM Subject: RE: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights > Only if they were reprinted for profit. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Marvalene [mailto:marvalene@columbus.rr.com] > Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 4:03 PM > To: OHVINTON-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [OHVINTON-L] Obits and copyrights > > Would there be a copyright infringement if the obit was in a newspaper > that > was available to the public? > > > >