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.
| 1501* | Imperial Senate privilege to the Sodalitas Celtica Commentary: [1] |
| 1531* | Basel Printers' Statute Commentary: [1] |
| 1724* | Electoral Saxon Printing and Censorship Acts from 1549 to 1717 Commentary: [1] |
| 1591 | A publisher's 'Friendly Reminder' about reprints |
| 1598 | Frankfurt Printers' Ordinance |
| 1713* | 'Books Constitution' of Emperor Rudolf II Commentary: [1] |
| 1658* | Schupp: The Book Thief Commentary: [1] |
| 1660* | Frankfurt Printers' Ordinance Commentary: [1] |
| 1673 | Nuremberg Printers' Ordinance |
| 1675* | Counterfeited Privilege in Grimmelshausen's 'The Magic Bird's Nest' Commentary: [1] |
| 1690 | Beier: On the Book Trade and its Privileges |
| 1713 | Augsburg Printers' Ordinance |
| 1738* | Thurneysen: On the Illicit Reprinting of Books Commentary: [1] |
| 1740* | Encyclopaedia Article on 'The Reprinting of Books' Commentary: [1] |
| 1750 | Fritsch: Treatise on Book Printers, Booksellers, Paper Manufacturers and Bookbinders |
| 1765* | Philipp Erasmus Reich and the Leipzig publishers' cartel Commentary: [1] |
| 1773* | Saxonian Statute Commentary: [1] |
| 1774* | Pütter: The Reprinting of Books Commentary: [1] |
| 1781 | Chodowiecki's Allegory 'Works of Darkness' |
| 1785* | Austrian Statutes on Censorship and Printing Commentary: [1] |
| 1790* | J.F.F. Ganz's draft for a general ban on reprinting within the whole Empire Commentary: [1] |
| 1794* | Prussian Statute Book (ALR) Commentary: [1] |
| 1799* | Kehr: Apology of the Reprinting of Books Commentary: [1] |
| 1809* | Baden Civil Code Commentary: [1] |
| 1815* | Annotated Publishers' Petition to the Congress of Vienna Commentary: [1] |
| 1830* | Amended music publishers' agreement against piracy Commentary: [1] |
| 1837* | Directive for reciprocal copyright protection within the German Confederation Commentary: [1] |
| 1846* | Bilateral Treaty between Prussia and Great Britain Commentary: [1] |
