The World Digital Library has recently been launched. This is a UN-sponsored initiative to digitise historically significant books (mainly) as well as photographs and other content, and put them online for free public access. The library currently has 1200 exhibits, some dating back over 2000 years, and is expected to grow significantly as museums, galleries, universities and other institutions add content.

This raises a question: who owns the copyright in these historical works? Before you think “who cares – the authors have been dead for centuries”, think again. Continue reading →