Re: Bono Copyright Extension - Char Coats-Siercks
Subject: Re: Bono Copyright Extension
From: Char Coats-Siercks
Date: November 12, 1998

Copyright only applies to creative works...compiled works were not 
covered by this legislation...in fact it was specifically taken out...I 
know copyright is confusing but public documents are never 
copyrightable....they are not a creative, original work...West 
Publishing is finding that out with court opinions...they just lost 
their appeal to keep the court opinions they publish and the courts have 
said no...court opinions are public documents and can not be coprighted 
by anyone...that means...people can scan Wests Codes onto the net to 
build a data base, unless Congress passes legislation to the 
contrary....

So even though the copyright has been extended in terms of creative 
works....most of genealogy is public records...

Charlotte

----Original Message Follows----
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 20:37:32 -0500
From: Steve Coker 
Reply-To: [email protected]
Subject: Bono Copyright Extension
To: [email protected]

Once again, Congress has acted against the best interests of the 
American people
in favor of a few extremely wealthy owners of copyrights.  The Sonny 
Bono
Copyright Term Extension Act was signed into law on October 27, 1998.

Until 1979, the copyright term was 56 years.  Thus, in 1979 all 
protected works
created before 1923 became public domain.  In 1979, Congress extended 
copyright
terms to 75 years, so that protected works created in 1923 would not 
enter the
public domain until 1999.  Now, at the urging of certain extremely 
wealthy
special interests, Congress has extended copyright terms another 20 
years to 95
years.

This means protected works from 1923, which should have entered the 
public
domain in 1999, will not become public domain until 2019.  Assuming of 
course
that Congress does not sell out the public once more and extend the term 
again.

How does this impact genealogists?  

Sharing of information will be limited.

Newspaper obituaries published since 1922 will not be put online 
(legally) for
at least another 20 years.

Many out of print genealogy books and other research materials will not 
be
reprinted or placed online for at least another 20 years. 

Many useful historical publications will not be reprinted or placed 
online for
at least another 20 years. 

Useful works which have unclear copyright status will not be put online 
for at
least another 20 years.

Useful works which have heirs that cannot be found will not be put 
online for at
least another 20 years.

Genealogists will continue to live in fear and uncertainty under the 
threat of
legal action regarding material they share with others. Especially those 
who
post the materials on the Internet for the benefit of the public.

For more information see:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~dkarjala/
http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/penleg.html
http://www.public.asu.edu/~dkarjala/legmats/S505-final.htm
http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1998/06/11/fp51s1-csm.htm
http://www.abcnews.com/sections/business/DailyNews/mickey980508/index.html
http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/

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