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.
1709 | Reasons Humbly Offer'd to the Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons (United Kingdom) |
1710* | Statute of Anne (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1737* | Booksellers' Bill (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1737 | An Act for the Encouragement of Learning (Draft) (United Kingdom) |
1763* | Diderot's Letter on the book trade (France) Commentary: [1] |
1769* | Millar v. Taylor (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1773* | Hinton v. Donaldson (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1773 | Information for Messrs John Hinton et al (United Kingdom) |
1773 | Information for Alexander Donaldson (United Kingdom) |
1774* | Donaldson v. Becket (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1774 | The Pleadings of the Counsel before the House (United Kingdom) |
1774 | Booksellers' Bill (United Kingdom) |
1776* | Gaultier's memorandum for the provincial booksellers (France) Commentary: [1] |
1778* | Pluquet's letters (France) Commentary: [1] |
1787* | Calico Printers' Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1787 | Calico Printers' Act (parchment copy) (United Kingdom) |
1801* | Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1801 | A Bill for the Further Encouragement of Learning (United Kingdom) |
1814* | Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1814 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (18 July) (United Kingdom) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (12 July) (United Kingdom) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (15 July) (United Kingdom) |
1818 | Select Committee Report: Minutes of Evidence (United Kingdom) |
1828* | Maugham's Treatise (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1830 | Dramatic Writings Bill (United Kingdom) |
1832 | Select Committee Report: Dramatic Literature (United Kingdom) |
1837 | Copyright Bill (6 June) (United Kingdom) |
1838* | International Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1838 | Parliamentary Debates on the International Copyright Act (20 March) (United Kingdom) |
1838 | Copyright Bill (27 Feb.) (United Kingdom) |
1838 | Copyright Bill (6 June) (United Kingdom) |
1839 | Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1839 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (27 Feb.) (United Kingdom) |
1840 | Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1841 | Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1841 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (29 Jan.) (United Kingdom) |
1842* | Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1842 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (6 April) (United Kingdom) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (4 March) (United Kingdom) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (23 March) (United Kingdom) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (21 April) (United Kingdom) |
1842 | Memorial of a Number of Persons Concerned in Printing and Publishing (United States) |
1853 | Letters on International copyright (United States) |
1861 | Fine Art Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1862* | Fine Art Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1862 | Fine Art Copyright Bill (27 Feb.) (United Kingdom) |
1862 | Fine Art Copyright Bill (20 March) (United Kingdom) |
1869 | Artistic Copyright Bill, London (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1870* | Copinger's Law of Copyright (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1878 | Royal Commission on Copyright: Minutes of Evidence (United Kingdom) |
1879 | Copyright Consolidation Bill (United Kingdom) |
1896 | Hearing on H.R. 5976 (United States) |
1899 | Artistic Copyright Bill, London (United Kingdom) |
1900 | Artistic Copyright Bill, London (United Kingdom) |