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.
| 1479* | Privilege of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg Commentary: [1] |
| 1502 | Privilege of the Imperial Senate for Works of Conrad Celtis |
| 1511* | Imperial Privilege for Arnolt Schlick Commentary: [1] |
| 1515 | Imperial Privilege for Konrad Peutinger |
| 1512 | Lyrical Reference to an Imperial privilege for Arnolt Schlick |
| 1513* | Imperial privilege for Eucharius Rösslin Commentary: [1] |
| 1516 | Imperial Privilege for Johannes Eck |
| 1517 | Privilege of the Duke of Bavaria |
| 1531* | Basel Printers' Statute Commentary: [1] |
| 1534 | Privilege of the Elector of Saxony |
| 1545* | Luther's 'Warning to the Printers' Commentary: [1] |
| 1724* | Electoral Saxon Printing and Censorship Acts from 1549 to 1717 Commentary: [1] |
| 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 |
| 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 | Reich v. Pauli |
| 1773* | Saxonian Statute Commentary: [1] |
| 1793* | Fichte: Proof of the Unlawfulness of Reprinting Commentary: [1] |
| 1794* | Prussian Statute Book (ALR) Commentary: [1] |
| 1796 | Lobethan: On Publishers' Privileges |
| 1815* | Annotated Publishers' Petition to the Congress of Vienna Commentary: [1] |
| 1827* | Treaties on reciprocal protection between Prussia and various German States Commentary: [1] |
| 1832* | Gans: On the right to perform published stage plays Commentary: [1] |
| 1853* | Bluntschli: On Authors' Rights Commentary: [1] |
| 1870* | Copyright Act for the German Empire Commentary: [1] |
| 1876* | Copyright Acts for the German Empire regarding works of art, photography, and designs Commentary: [1] |
| 1880* | Kohler: Author's Right Commentary: [1] |
