Re: abstracts

On Thu, 6 Apr 2000, Harold Orlans <horlans[_at_]erols.com> wrote:
>
> On Tue, 4 Apr 2000, Peter Groves <peter.groves[_at_]virgin.net> wrote:
> >
> > I'd be interested to learn about the copyright treatment of abstracts
> > of articles from scientific journals and conference proceedings
> > elsewhere in the world.
>
> As I understand it, the American Medical Association (Manual of
> Style, 1998) has viewed the copying of biomedical abstracts as a
> fair use -- hence, an exception to the usual rule against copying
> an entire work. However, AMA states that the traditional exception
> has been endangered by the compilation and sale of abstracts by
> commercial publishers and Internet services.

While the information that the AMA has viewed copying abstracts as fair use may be helpful, I would caution that it is only their *view*, which is akin to saying their opinion. I may *view* a particular use as fair use, but if the courts don't agree with that view, then my *view* is irrelevant.

Marty Hayes
<9ball[_at_]hostsite.net> Received on Fri Apr 07 2000 - 16:51:14 GMT