Copies Direct
Copyright in manuscripts
Q. What does copyright cover?
Copyright covers the rights of copyright owners or their legal heir(s) relating to reproduction and distribution of their material.
Q. Who owns the copyright?
The owner of copyright for such material is the writer or creator of the material, or the creator's legal heir(s).
Q. How long does copyright last?
Copyright subsists in unpublished manuscript material in perpetuity.
Under the Copyright Act 1968, libraries may photocopy unpublished manuscript material held in their collections if the material is required for research purposes, but only if the creator of the material has been dead for more than 50 years. For material which does not meet this criterion, researchers must first obtain the written permission of the relevant copyright holder(s).
Copying official manuscripts
Official manuscripts, namely documents written by a person holding public office, are covered by Crown copyright and may be copied by the Library, providing access to the collection is open. Researchers wishing to publish such documents should seek the permission of the Australian Government Publishing Service.
Copying manuscripts which have been published
Certain provisions of the Copyright Act apply also to manuscripts which have been published. With published works, copyright subsists until 50 years after the death of the creator, or, if published posthumously, until 50 years after the date of publication. The permission of the copyright holder(s) is not needed to photocopy a manuscript which was published as an article, nor to photocopy a reasonable portion of a manuscript which has been published as a book.
Q. How much can I copy?
For practical reasons, there is a limit of 200 photocopies per researcher per three months. Once the limit of 200 photocopies has been reached, further copies may only be obtained by submitting a new order after the three-month period has elapsed. If extensive copying is required, it may be possible to microfilm the material, provided there are no copyright restrictions. Estimates of cost will be supplied on request.
Q. Can I publish manuscript material?
Should you wish to publish material from the Library's manuscript collections, you will need to obtain permission from the Library as custodian of the material. You will also need to obtain copyright clearance from the copyright holder(s). Please also provide an accompanying citation which acknowledges the National Library as custodian, and includes the collection number of the item.
Q. Can I quote from manuscript material?
Researchers are reminded that publication of more than a brief extract or reference from a manuscript item will still require the permission of the copyright holder(s), who may take legal action against a person who infringes copyright.
Further information
For more information, you may contact the Manuscripts Branch directly.
Online: Online Reference Enquiry Form
Phone: +61 2 6262 1259
Fax: +61 2 6262 1516
Post:
Manuscripts Branch
National Library of Australia
Canberra ACT 2600
AUSTRALIA
You may also visit the websites of the Copyright Agency Limited and the Australian Copyright Council for further information.
