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.
1782 | Letter from Smith to Webster (United States) |
1784 | Letter from Noah Webster to James Madison (United States) |
1784 | Pennsylvania Copyright Statute (United States) |
1790-1800 | Sample registrations (United States) |
1828 | Letter from Donaldson to Peters (United States) |
1828 | Letter from Peters to Donaldson (United States) |
1830 | Letter from John McLean to Richard Peters Jr. (United States) |
1834* | Wheaton v. Peters Independent Report (United States) |
1838 | Address of Certain Authors (United States) |
1838 | Memorial of the New York Typographical Society (United States) |
1842* | Lowndes' Historical Sketch of the Law of Copyright (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1843 | An Address to the People of the United States (United States) |
1848 | Jay, Bryant and Others' Memorials (United States) |
1853 | Letters on International copyright (United States) |
1853* | Stowe v. Thomas (United States) Commentary: [1] |
1853 | Stowe v. Thomas, Complainant's Bill (United States) |
1853 | Stowe v. Thomas, Defendant's Answer (United States) |
1853 | 'Uncle Tom' at Law (United States) |
1863 | Hardee's Memorial (United States) |
1878 | Royal Commission on Copyright: Minutes of Evidence (United Kingdom) |
1888 | The International Copyright Bill (United States) |
1890 | Report on H.R. 10881 (United States) |
1896 | Hearing on H.R. 5976 (United States) |
1896 | Debate in Congress (United States) |
1896 | The Question of Copyright (United States) |