This is a freely-accessible, publicly-funded digital archive that collects together significant documents relating to the history of copyright law and practice. The documents have been selected by national editors, with the input of an editorial advisory board. Key documents are, where appropriate, transcribed and translated. The editors have written commentaries, explaining the reasons for selecting documents and their significance. The project was launched in 2008, initially funded by the AHRC in relation to 5 countries. Since 2024 it is supported by the AHRC as UK research infrastructure. The archive now extends to more than 20 (including historical and religious) jurisdictions and over 700 primary source documents. They can be browsed by date/language/jurisdiction, or searched.
| 1663 | L'Estrange's Considerations and Proposals |
| 1693 | Locke's Memorandum on the 1662 Act |
| 1695 | Reasons for objecting to the renewal of the Licensing Act |
| 1710 | A Bill for Encouragement of Learning |
| 1741* | Gyles v. Wilcox (Atkyn's Reports) Commentary: [1] |
| 1762* | Tonson v. Collins Commentary: [1] |
| 1766 | Engravers' Copyright Act |
| 1769* | Millar v. Taylor Commentary: [1] |
| 1773 | Information for Messrs John Hinton et al |
| 1773 | Information for Alexander Donaldson |
| 1774* | Donaldson v. Becket Commentary: [1] |
| 1774 | The Cases of the Appellants and Respondents |
| 1774 | The Pleadings of the Counsel before the House |
| 1774 | Booksellers' Bill |
| 1774 | Macauley's A Modest Plea |
| 1775* | Stationers' Company v. Carnan Commentary: [1] |
| 1777 | Engravers' Copyright Act |
| 1787* | Calico Printers' Act Commentary: [1] |
| 1798* | Beckford v. Hood Commentary: [1] |
| 1799 | Documents concerning the Models and Busts Act |
| 1801 | A Bill for the Further Encouragement of Learning |
| 1828* | Maugham's Treatise Commentary: [1] |
| 1830 | Dramatic Writings Bill |
| 1832 | Parliamentary Debates on Drama and Dramatic Literature (31 May) |
| 1835 | Parliamentary Debates on the Lectures Act (24 Aug.) |
| 1838 | Parliamentary Debates on the International Copyright Act (19 July) |
| 1840 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (14 Feb.) |
| 1841 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (27 Jan.) |
| 1841 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (29 Jan.) |
| 1842* | Lowndes' Historical Sketch of the Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |
| 1842 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (6 April) |
| 1842 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (9 May) |
| 1842 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (9 May) |
| 1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (4 March) |
| 1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (23 March) |
| 1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (21 April) |
| 1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (27 June) |
| 1844* | International Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
| 1851 | Anglo-French Copyright Treaty |
| 1852 | Parliamentary Debates on the International Copyright Act (30 April) |
| 1853 | Blaine's Laws of Artistic Copyright |
| 1858 | Report of the Artistic Copyright Committee |
| 1860 | Turner v. Robinson |
| 1862 | Parliamentary Debates on the Fine Art Copyright Act (22 May) |
| 1862 | Parliamentary Debates on the Fine Art Copyright Act (23 May) |
| 1862 | Parliamentary Debates on the Fine Art Copyright Act (5 June) |
| 1862 | Parliamentary Debates on the Fine Art Copyright Act (24 July) |
| 1869 | Artistic Copyright Bill, London Commentary: [1] |
| 1870* | Copinger's Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |
| 1872 | Correspondence and Papers on Colonial Copyright |
| 1874 | Correspondence respecting Colonial Copyright |
| 1878* | Royal Commissioners' Report Commentary: [1] |
| 1878 | Royal Commission on Copyright: Minutes of Evidence |
| 1879 | Copyright Consolidation Bill |
| 1879 | Memorial of the Royal Academy of Arts, London |
| 1886 | Correspondence respecting the Copyright Union |
| 1899 | Artistic Copyright Bill, London |
| 1900 | Artistic Copyright Bill, London |
