Tuesday's Tip - Copyright Resources



Last Saturday I was invited to attend a Library Assistants' Meeting at my local society - QFHS.  We attend these about every 6 months just to keep up to date with new procedures/systems and to hear about specialist topics.  Saturday's specialist topics were Irish Research, Copyright and Maps.  See what you miss out on by not being a Library Assistant?

I was particularly interested in the Copyright session because it reminded me of the last session of GeniAus' GeneaGala Hangout the previous weekend where the topic of copyright had been raised. 

The session on Saturday at QFHS was more about Copyright in Libraries rather than for Family Historians but it was still interesting and raised some important issues.

Copyright is an area that I'm sure fills most of us with fear and loathing and yet we do need to know about it so that we stay on the right side of the law, maintain good relations with all and sundry and ensure our integrity and reputation as family history practitioners.

What can we do about it?

Educate ourselves of course!  Ignorance is not bliss in this instance.  And, as Jill Ball reminded me,  the Grand Central Station for Copyright in Australia is the Australian Copyright Council.  The website is here.

You can check out what I think are their most relevant information sheets for family historians/bloggers as per the links below:

Family Histories and Copyright

Websites: Social Networks, Blogs and User-generated Media

Photographers & Copyright

If you want more more detailed guides, you can check out their publications here.  Hard copies retail for $50 or e-Publications are available for $30.

Don't forget to see if your local library holds copies in their collection, if you are counting your pennies.

Looking for online content with more information?

State Library of Queensland

Ancestry's Wiki

Cyndi's List's Page on Intellectual Property

The Legal Genealogist Blog by Judy G Russell

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination. Just a gentle nudge, I hope, in the right direction.  There are others no doubt wiser and more experienced in this area.  Have you found any great copyright resources for family historians? Please feel free to share them with us in a comment below.

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