Posted:
By: Douglas D. Anderson
On: 06/01/2006
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Any records or files obtained from a govermental agency (including NARA) are not under copyright (a part of that "we the people" stuff). "We the people" own the files; they can't be copyrighted.
Concerning the "Blue Book," the president of the Association, Mr. Seder, had this reply to my email:
"The answers to your questions are that the 'Blue Book' was not copyrighted and, as you know, has been reprinted and its contents used in a number of other publications without attribution. Gordon Closway was the Group's public affairs officer and, while he put the "Blue Book" together after the War, the material was all taken from his files, so I don't know whether it could have been copyrighted in the first place. Furthermore, I see no purpose to be served by limiting further publication or use of the 'Blue Book' material, since obviously no royalties are involved.
"My conclusion, therefore, is that the 'Blue Book' and its material are not protected by copyright."
As such, the "Blue Book" can be scanned and freely distributed to any family members or other interested parties.
Doug
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