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.
1559* | Elizabethan Injunctions Commentary: [1] |
1586* | Star Chamber Decree Commentary: [1] |
1637* | Star Chamber Decree Commentary: [1] |
1643* | The Humble Remonstrance of the Stationers' Company Commentary: [1] |
1643 | An Ordinance for the Regulation of Printing |
1649 | An Act against Unlicensed and Scandalous Books and Pamphlets |
1653 | An Act for reviving [the 1649 Act] |
1662* | Licensing Act Commentary: [1] |
1662 | Licensing Act (parchment copy) |
1663 | L'Estrange's Considerations and Proposals |
1667 | Recital of the Stationers' Charter |
1684 | Stationers' Charter |
1693 | Locke's Memorandum on the 1662 Act |
1695 | Reasons for objecting to the renewal of the Licensing Act |
1709 | Reasons Humbly Offer'd for the Bill for the Encouragement of Learning |
1709 | Reasons Humbly Offer'd to the Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons |
1710* | Statute of Anne Commentary: [1] |
1710 | A Bill for Encouragement of Learning |
1721* | Burnet v. Chetwood Commentary: [1] |
1721 | Burnet's Bill of Complaint and Chetwood's Answer |
1729 | Gay v. Read |
1737* | Booksellers' Bill Commentary: [1] |
1737* | Baller v. Watson: Entry from the Court's Book of Orders Commentary: [1] |
1737 | An Act for the Encouragement of Learning (Draft) |
1741 | Gyles v. Wilcox (Barnardiston's Report) |
1751 | Tonson v. Walker |
1761 | Tonson v. Collins |
1762* | Tonson v. Collins Commentary: [1] |
1762 | A Vindication of the Rights of Authors |
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 | Hargrave's Argument in Defence of Literary Property |
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] |
1798* | Beckford v. Hood Commentary: [1] |
1801* | Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1801 | A Bill for the Further Encouragement of Learning |
1812 | Petition of the London Booksellers |
1813 | Petition of the Printers of London and Westminster |
1814* | Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (18 May) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (7 June) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (12 July) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (15 July) |
1818 | Select Committee Report on the Copyright Acts |
1818 | Select Committee Report: Minutes of Evidence |
1828* | Maugham's Treatise Commentary: [1] |
1837 | Copyright Bill (6 June) |
1838* | International Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1838 | Copyright Bill (27 Feb.) |
1838 | Copyright Bill (6 June) |
1839 | Copyright Bill |
1840 | Copyright Bill |
1841 | Copyright Bill |
1842* | Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1842* | Lowndes' Historical Sketch of the Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |
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) |
1844* | International Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1844 | International Copyright Bill |
1851 | Anglo-French Copyright Treaty |
1854* | Jeffreys v. Boosey Commentary: [1] |
1862 | Fine Art Copyright Bill (20 March) |
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 |