Re: Copyright Laws

From: Bob Stock <bstock[_at_]ucla.edu>
Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 08:08:38 -0700

On 6/9/98, Beverly Aytes-Bowhall <ay8tes2[_at_]highland.net> wrote:
>
> I have a question I really need answered. A cousin wrote a family
> history book, published and copyrighted in 1981. She has since passed
> on and there are no more copies available.I have tried finding her
> children but to no avial.
>
> Can I re-publish the book including the updates I have found??

Someone owns the copyright to your cousin's book. By republishing it, you would be violating that person's reproduction and distribution rights. By adding to it, you might be violating that person's derivative work right.

I don't know how much of the book is factual and arguably not even protected by copyright, but this is a very iffy proposition if you are going to republish the exact same book.

I would counsel you not to republish without first seeking the advice of a lawyer so that she can look at all of the facts and properly advise you.

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Bob Stock <bstock[_at_]ucla.edu>
UCLA School of Law '98
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/1206/

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Received on Thu Jun 11 1998 - 15:07:29 GMT