Copyright is unfortunately a minefield. You have to remember that not only is there the copyright associated with the original documents - ie the paper buried deep in the TNA's basement - but there also exists copyright associated with the copies and/or the presentation of them. Coyright will (probably) have expired on the ORIGINAL documents - but we neither get to see nor to copy them - what we look at is Ancestry's (or <whoever>'s reproduction - and even if WHAT is reproduced is copyright free, the manner in which the reproduction is presented carries its own copyright should the "authors" choose to exercise it. Simply put, if i take a photo of an Egyptian wall painting, the original art work is most certainly out of copyright (though possibly not free of a Mummy's Curse!) - but my photo is most certainly my copyright, and woe betide you if you reproduce it without my permission. Like i said - a minefield! hugh

In addition to copyright, there are terms of use. The various websites allow you access under certain conditions. Most would not allow you to publish thier images elsewhere, even regardless of whether they own the copyright. They might agree to license you to use thier images, perhaps for a fee. Ask them directly. Put your case for how it may benefit them (e.g. attribution gives them good publicity), and justify your publication. Note, I'm not a lawyer. Sue Adams Family Folk Blog: http://familyfolklore.wordpress.com/ On 30/01/2014 22:46, Hugh Ainsley wrote: > Copyright is unfortunately a minefield. You have to remember that not > only is there the copyright associated with the original documents - ie > the paper buried deep in the TNA's basement - but there also exists > copyright associated with the copies and/or the presentation of them. > > Coyright will (probably) have expired on the ORIGINAL documents - but > we neither get to see nor to copy them - what we look at is Ancestry's > (or <whoever>'s reproduction - and even if WHAT is reproduced is > copyright free, the manner in which the reproduction is presented > carries its own copyright should the "authors" choose to exercise it. > > Simply put, if i take a photo of an Egyptian wall painting, the > original art work is most certainly out of copyright (though possibly > not free of a Mummy's Curse!) - but my photo is most certainly my > copyright, and woe betide you if you reproduce it without my > permission. > > Like i said - a minefield! > > hugh > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SOG-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >