Category Archives: Bibliography

A reading list of relevant literature, law reviews, and case law on the subject of copyright and state government information.

Take our Survey!

We created this survey for the participants of the NCSL Webinar on May 7.  It was designed to help us gain a better understanding of the participants views and actual policy environments in which they work, in terms of copyright of state agency publications.

The questions are a reflection of issues and real concerns that we have encountered in the literature, including case law, and when speaking with state agency staff.

We are interested in your responses, even after the Webinar! So if you were a participant and didn’t have a chance to fill it out please do so! We also want to encourage any one else to take this survey.  We value gaining a better insight into the issue of copyright and state government information.

The Goals of the Survey:
  • Gauge participants’ perceptions, knowledge and understanding of the the issue.
  • Gauge participants’ level concern about placing items in the public domain.
  • Determine if there is consensus for copyrighting specific types of state publications.
  • Raise awareness in order to move into action.

Videos of CA State Legislative Proceedings – Public Domain?

A great example of legislative materials — video recordings in this case — and disagreement as to whether or not they are in the public domain.

Assembly preparing ‘cease and desist’ letter for Tim Donnelly campaign video
Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/11/assembly-administrator-preparing-cease-and-desist-letter-for-tim-donnelly-c.html#storylink=cpy

“It’s our understanding that once that video is aired publicly that it’s part of the public domain,” she said, adding that she was looking at the state Capitol at the moment and that “the taxpayers pay for that building.”