RE: Darnton on the Google settlement

["Sally Morris \(Morris Associates\)" <sally@morris-assocs.demon.co.uk>]

David:  If I may say so, that's a rather flippant comment, coming 
from a former publisher!

Google only has to determine the date of publication, which is 
after all written in the prelims of the book - it's my 
understanding that they are using a standard cutoff date - to 
determine whether or not the title is out of copyright

The publisher, on the other hand, has to determine who currently 
holds the copyright:  has it reverted to the author;  if the 
author has died, who is the current holder...

Sally Morris
Email: sally@morris-assocs.demon.co.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of David Prosser
Sent: 02 February 2009 23:01
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
Subject: RE: Darnton on the Google settlement

I find it amusing that Google is expected to determine the
copyright status of millions of titles before they can be
digitised, but it is apparently unreasonable to expect publishers
to determine the copyright status of the titles they publish
themselves!

David Prosser
SPARC