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Dissertations and copyright



Over the years we have received "second-hand" copies
of dissertations, i.e., the dissertation author has
presented a museum curator with a copy in thanks for
information or editorial advice provided.  The curator
then donates the copy to the Library and Archives.
Since these dissertations frequently refer to items in
our collections we want to keep and catalog them.

My question is, are we violating anyone's copyright
interest in the matter by making these dissertations
available -- in many cases the gift occurred so long
ago, it's impossible to locate the author.  The author
may or may not have cared whether the copy wound up
someplace other than the original recipient's office.
Now I have the author/donor sign a deed of gift but I
don't have the time to track down all the authors or
their estates.

What, if anything, is UMI's position on these copies
--
can someone tell me exactly what they get copyright to
-- only their own physical manifestations or is it
broader?

Judy Turner
Director, Library and Archives
Milwaukee Public Museum
jat@mpm.edu
judy53211@yahoo.com





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