-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: Scanned map copyright question Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:28:24 -0400 From: Joel Kovarsky <[log in to unmask]> To: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship <[log in to unmask]> > Now anything pre 1923 is outside copyright, as > are U.S. government publications no matter the date. So if your > materials are pre 1923, you're OK. This is generally accurate. What is being described, I think, is what is termed a "derivative work," and there is some general guidance here: <http://www.nedcc.org/resources/digitalhandbook/dman.pdf>. At the very least permission would probably need to be obtained for use of the base map, if 1923 or later. If the book publisher modified the base map, then that may have its own copyright. The subsequently modified images may then be eligible for their own copyright. This can get tricky--does your library have an attorney on staff versed in these sorts of copyright issues? A number of major university libraries have access to that sort of support. I would be skeptical of relying on any singular advice from this list, however well-meaning or well-phrased. Joel Kovarsky