GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives

From: W David Samuelsen <>
Subject: Re: Re: Hathi Trust
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:45:57 -0700
References: <a9da0d92-c775-4276-ace3-b065f87fba62@ow3g2000pbc.googlegroups.com><jggiv6$8u9$1@speranza.aioe.org><mailman.1.1328293825.16036.gen-medieval@rootsweb.com><d34750db-e0f7-4676-bb2a-ba4697f6b509@b10g2000pbd.googlegroups.com><b7853b8f-00c6-473b-9868-ab03732ec63c@f30g2000yqh.googlegroups.com><8f2352d4-400f-43d2-8c1b-42d5f5895f4d@k3g2000pbn.googlegroups.com><mailman.1.1328619615.7951.gen-medieval@rootsweb.com><9pdo5sFu9oU1@mid.individual.net>
In-Reply-To: <9pdo5sFu9oU1@mid.individual.net>

It is this one:

The first Federal Copyright Act was enacted in 1790. The last copyright
revision bill was enacted in 1976. In 1988 a number of changes were
embraced to permit United States accession to the Berne Convention. The
Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, signed at
Berne, Switzerland, on September 9, 1886 was finally adopted by the
United States in the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988. The
main effect of adopting the Berne Convention was automatic application
of copyrights, no notice necessary. The Sonny Bono Copyright Term
Extension Act aka The Mickey Mouse Protection Act extended the copyright
protection term to life of the author plus 70 years and for works of
corporate authorship to 120 years after creation or 95 years after
publication, whichever endpoint is earlier. The Digital Millennium
Copyright Act implements the World Intellectual Property Organization
Copyright Treaty and Performances and Phonograms Treaty deals with
electronic copy protection measures.

There is an international copyright law and 164 countries have signed
the treaty creating the law. The law is called the Berne Convention for
the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, usually known as the
Berne Convention. This international agreement governing copyright, was
first accepted in Berne, Switzerland in 1886. See Wikipedia:Berne
Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Over 100
years later, on March 1, 1989, the U.S. Berne Convention Implementation
Act of 1988 was enacted, and the United States Senate ratified the
treaty, making the U.S. a party to the Berne Convention.

(source: Rootstech 2012, Genealogist’s Copyright Law for Genealogists
By James L. Tanner, M.A. J.D.) (You can find his blog at
genealogysstar.blogspot.com)

Most important aspect concerning copyrights in other countries (e.g.
British copyright in USA, and vice versa)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_v._Holder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay_Round_Agreements_Act

Hope this clarify about Britsh copyright as understood in USA.
(Hathi Trust is based in USA)

W. David Samuelsen

This thread:

• Hathi Trust by Jan <>
  • Re: Hathi Trust by "Doug Thompson" <>
    • Re: Hathi Trust by Wjhonson <>