There are many questions a genealogist may ask regarding copyrights. The researcher may want to know if they have permission to use something they found on the Internet. An author may want to know if they can use part of a diary without permission, or what is part of the public domain. The professional researcher may ask who owns the copyright to a client’s report. Sharon DeBartolo Carmack provides answers to these questions and many more in Carmack’s Guide to Copyright & Contracts: A Primer for Genealogists, Writers, and Researchers.
According to the forward, by Karen Kreider Gaunt, Attorney at Law, understanding the law, “what rights vest in the author upon creation of any expressive work, how these rights can be licensed, conveyed, assigned, or transferred,…and how best to negotiate the rights and obligations that come with creating such works can be a daunting task.” Clearly, this is not an easy topic to fully digest, and probably requires a law degree to even attempt its full understanding. However, there are basics all researchers should know and understand. Carmack does her best to explain these important legalities is a manner which is easy to understand and apply for just about anyone.
Genealogists, by nature of their passions for family history, rarely have problems sharing information. But, if one spends ten or twenty years collecting research, organizing it, and perhaps even publishing a book it would only seem reasonable that they retain credit for their work. Copyright protects that credit. This book breaks down copyright practices from the basics to different applications like photo or books. This is one of those rare guides that won’t teach you how to do genealogy research, yet contains critical information vital to every family historian.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword by Karen Kreider Gaunt, Attorney at Law
Introduction
Chapter 1 Copyright Basics
Chapter 2 Fair Use, the Public Domain, and Seeking Permissions
Chapter 3 Illustrations, Images, Photographs, and Maps
Chapter 4 Works for Hire
Chapter 5 Collaboration Agreement
Chapter 6 Journal/Magazine Contracts
Chapter 7 Book Contracts
Chapter 8 Electronic Contacts
Chapter 9 Self-Publication Contracts
Glossary
Bibliography
Resource Directory
Still Have Questions?
Index
Carmack’s Guide to Copyright & Contracts: A Primer for Genealogists, Writers, and Researchers is available from Family Root Publishing; Item #: GPC883, Price: $17.15.