Casey Bisson wrote:
> A problem here is license.
Here's OCLC's license relating to records you create or derive on OCLC:
(http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/records/guidelines/default.htm)
I really suggest giving it a read. I can't find anything in it that
would prevent the creation of an open database of records. It opens with:
"Each member and nonmember library may use records without restriction,
and may transfer records of its own holdings without restriction to
other libraries."
OK, so maybe the database has to be at a library -- but wait! the
Internet Archive is a library! (Brewster said they've met the state
requirements for that designation.) The license/guidance goes on from
there, and has a section at the end that gives the history of its
"copyright issue" (perhaps a bit revised?) and how it came to these
guidelines. In that it says:
"Member libraries have made a major investment in the OCLC Online Union
Catalog and expect other member libraries, member networks and OCLC to
take appropriate steps to protect the database. So far as member and
nonmember libraries are concerned, however, all transfers of records of
their own holdings may be made without restriction, excepting only
certain transfers to commercial organizations which, under Guideline 3,
require separate understandings with OCLC."
So, for records created on OCLC, we seem to be free to ship them around
to each other. Now, note that the guidelines say that you can send
records "of your own holdings" and I don't know if there's a "gotcha"
there. They do define record as being both bibliographic and holdings data.
And, BTW, what I heard about MIT is that it was their own legal counsel
that pulled the plug on their database, not a threat from a supposed
rights holder. Maybe someone here knows more.
kc
--
-----------------------------------
Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
kcoyle@kcoyle.net http://www.kcoyle.net
ph.: 510-540-7596
fx.: 510-848-3913
mo.: 510-435-8234
------------------------------------
Received on Wed Apr 25 2007 - 16:50:49 EDT