According to MY understanding of Copyright - I am not a lawyer nor do I
play one on TV - they are copyrighting the format, not the material.
Laws changed a few years ago on copyright.  Copyright no longer requires
filling out forms - the act of creation gives the creator copy rights.
Therefore - depending on WHEN the microfilm was created - Sidney
Historical Society may or may not have copy rights on their microfilm.

Of course I could be wrong....

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State
history. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of mike engle
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 2:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Microfilm copywrites (newspapers)

Hello list,

  I have a question I hope someone can answer.

I was at SUNY Oneonta, and they had the Cooperstown, NY newspaper on
microfilm, and I ran into something I have never seen before.  At the
begining, the microfilm was copywrited by the NYS Historical Society.
Basicly saying that you can't make copies FROM that microfilm and
publish
it, without consent from the NYSHS.

  Now my question is this.  I've never seen this copywrite notice on any
other microfilm.  For example. the Sidney, NY historical society has
their
newspapers on microfilm, without a copywrite notice.  Does this mean
that
the Sidney microfilm is not copywrited by their historical society?

Best Regards
Mike Engle

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