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.
1737* | Booksellers' Bill Commentary: [1] |
1737 | An Act for the Encouragement of Learning (Draft) |
1751 | Tonson v. Walker |
1773* | Hinton v. Donaldson Commentary: [1] |
1773 | Information for Messrs John Hinton et al |
1801* | Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1801 | A Bill for the Further Encouragement of Learning |
1818 | Select Committee Report: Minutes of Evidence |
1837 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (14 Dec.) |
1838* | International Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1838 | Parliamentary Debates on the International Copyright Act (20 March) |
1842* | Copyright Act 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] |
1847* | Foreign Reprints Act Commentary: [1] |
1847 | Foreign Reprints Bill |
1851 | Anglo-French Copyright Treaty |
1854* | Jeffreys v. Boosey Commentary: [1] |
1857 | Return of Colonies and British Possessions on Importation of Reprints |
1872 | Correspondence and Papers on Colonial Copyright |
1874 | Correspondence respecting Colonial Copyright |
1878 | Royal Commission on Copyright: Minutes of Evidence |