I believe that Nancy is correct and that the "no copyright" claim
applied to use within the United States. The copyright issue was cited
as a reason that some U.S. allies didn't want to share their
cartographic data with U.S. government mapping agencies.

John A. Stevenson
Coordinator, Government Documents and Maps Processing Unit
University of Delaware Library
[log in to unmask]

Angie Cope, AGSL wrote:
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject:   Re: MAPS-L: US maps copyrighted with no claim to copyright - Huh?
> Date:      Fri, 19 May 2006 14:37:50 -0400
> From:      [log in to unmask]
> To:        Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> Could there also be an issue of no copyright restrictions for domestic use
> versus restrictions for foreign use?  I haven't read the code, but have
> wondered if the public domain just applies to U.S. taxpayers or citizens.
>
> Nancy A. Kandoian
> Map Cataloger
> The Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division
> The New York Public Library
> 5th Ave. & 42nd St.
> New York, NY  10018-2788
>
> [log in to unmask]
> phone 212-930-0586; fax 212-930-0027
>
>
>
>
>              "Angie Cope,
>              AGSL"
>              <[log in to unmask]>                                            To
>              Sent by: "Maps,           [log in to unmask]
>              Air Photo &                                                cc
>              Geospatial
>              Systems Forum"                                        Subject
>              <[log in to unmask]         MAPS-L: US maps copyrighted with no
>              UGA.EDU>                  claim to copyright - Huh?
>
>
>              05/19/2006 02:24
>              PM
>
>
>              Please respond to
>              "Maps, Air Photo
>                & Geospatial
>               Systems Forum"
>              <[log in to unmask]
>                  UGA.EDU>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------- Original Message --------
>
>        Subject: Map copyrights
>
>           Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 13:54:08 -0400
>
>           From: Nitz, Andrew M. <[log in to unmask]>
>
>             To: '[log in to unmask]' <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
>
> Government documents are in the public domain, and have no copyright
> restrictions. If a private contractor produced the map for the government,
> they may have a copyright on it, but you would see their name on the map
> somewhere. Hope this helps.
>
> Andrew Nitz
> Cataloger
> Bibliographic Systems Branch
> Sales Management Division
> Superintendent of Documents
> United States Government Printing Office
> 710 North Capitol Street, NW
> Washington DC 20401
> 202-512-1705
> 202-512-1655 (fax)
>
>
>
>
>