Re: Copyright Issue

["Williams, Diane (contractor)" <Williams_Diane -at- DOTE -dot- OSD -dot- MIL>]

>>Our company purchased a number of books (some are hardcopy...some are on
disc) that compile law abstracts year by year.  The law department wants
me
to build a database in Folio using the information in these books
verbatim.
 When I asked about copyright clearance had been obtained, I was told
"don't
worry about it...we paid for the books."

Now I'm no lawyer (my internal clients are), but my understanding of
copyright is that you cannot use the information in any form (even to
build
a database) without permission.<<

I'm no expert on copyright either (except as a photographer), but I
think you might be okay in puttin this information in a database to make
it easier for the company's employees to look up. You cannot resell this
information -- such as sell the database once you compile it. But if
your users are just using the database as a tool to get this information
and will properly cite its original source, then I don't think you're
violating the copyright. But I'd check with the publisher anyway.

~~Diane

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