This message is in response to a question submitted by Mike Engle
regarding microfilm copies of newspapers that may have been produced by
the New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) in Cooperstown, N.Y.
He was concerned about an announcement at the beginning of a microfilm
reproduction that states that the film is not to be reproduced without
permission of the New York State Historical Association.

Although he doesn't identify the newspaper in question, NYSHA has
contributed to a number of microfilming projects over the past 30 years.
In addition to participating in the New York State Newspaper Project, we
collaborated on a microfilming project of local nineteenth century
newspapers with the State University of New York at Oneonta in the
mid-1970s. As NYSHA produced the master negatives for these projects, it
owns the microfilm format of the newspaper. Permission to reproduce the
entire microfilm should be requested from the NYSHA Research Library. We
would be glad to provide services copies from the master negatives for
anyone who would like to have copies of particular newspapers in our
collection. A complete list of microfilmed newspapers in the NYSHA
Research Library is available on the New York State Newspaper Programs'
website: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/nysnp/239.htm

I also would like to state that NYSHA does not own the copyright to
these newspapers, many of which are in the public domain. Photocopies
produced from the microfilm can be made without permission from NYSHA.
Since one of NYSHA's primary goals is to encourage research in New York
State History, we are glad that people are making use of the microfilmed
newspapers that we have produced. If I can be of further assistance,
please let me know.

______________________________________

Melissa McAfee
Research Library Director
New York State Historical Association
The Farmers' Museum
PO Box 800  Lake Road
Cooperstown, NY  13326
607 547 1473 (tel)
607 547 1405 (fax)


======================================================
Date:    Tue, 11 Mar 2003 14:56:06 -0500
From:    mike engle <[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