I would like to share with the lists my own personal experience. Two days ago
I received a package from an internet correspondent who kindly sent me a copy
of an article I had written in 1995 that was published in THe National
Genealogical Society Quarterly. THe Q does not pay its authors. But it is
prestigeous to have an article submitted. Several years ago the then Executive Director
of NGS entered into a contract with Borderbund [a division of Matel] to
publish the first 87 Issues of the Q on CD-Rom. He never contacted the authors
asking their permission and the article I received had a copyright on it by
Borderbund. My blood pressure rose and I contacted the then editor. Late yesterday I
heard from the CEO of NGS and they would like to know how to make it right?
Ancestry now owns the disks and has agreed to take the CD off the shelf. I think
it is # 210. She explained to me that as part of the agreement with Ancestry,
NGS has to pay all legal cost defending the copyright. NGS did get small
royalties. What would you do if you were in my shoes? I wrote the article so that
the information would be out there. But I certainly had no idea someone else,
would make money off of it. Margaret

Margaret R. Amundson, CGsm is a service mark of the Board for Certification
of Genealogists, used under license by Board-certified associates after
periodic proficiency evaluations.




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