[Genealib] copyright of directories - copyright clearance center

[James Capobianco]

-----------
Joyce Bak wrote:
Pam,
IN regards to your copyright question in regrads to the directories, you 
could contact the following company to get an answer. I took training 
with them this Spring through NEFLIN, and it was very good. This is the 
Google site info:

The world’s premier provider of copyright licensing and compliance 
solutions for the information content industry. Get reuse permission for 
millions of *...*
www.copyright.com/ - 18k - Jun 1, 2006 - Cached 
<http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:2lrM3d3lWpgJ:www.copyright.com/+CCC&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2> 
- Similar pages 
<http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=related:www.copyright.com/>
----------------

I'd like to suggest that the Copyright Clearance Center is not best 
place for libraries to turn for advice regarding copyright. Their 
business, as Joyce wrote, is "copyright licensing." They have a 
financial stake as to whether libraries decide they need to pay for 
copyright clearance. Not a very good place in general for libraries to 
seek advice about copyright matters, before they've decided they need to 
license materials. (It's like asking a life insurance salesman whether 
they need to buy life insurance)

Since Pam was talking about legally obtained printed materials, there is 
no need to be afraid of a copyright notice on such material as it 
concerns having a copy in a library collection. It is perfectly legal 
and the basis for libraries to begin with that after buying any 
copyrighted item legally (or having it donated), the item may be held 
and lent to patrons.

The warning specifically deals with reproduction by copying or in an 
electronic database, which is a different matter.

Also, in general, copyright warnings must be taken with a grain of salt. 
Photocopying in most instances, for personal research of limited 
portions, is protected by fair use provisions of copyright, regardless 
of what a warning says. Just like when a DVD or Video warns that it 
cannot be shown to a gathering of people without permission and paying 
for licensing, while not taking into account that it is perfectly legal 
and in the copyright law that instructors can play the whole of any 
legally obtained video in class, without seeking permission.

Best,

James