Original Grail Psalms... NOT COPYRIGHTED?
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I took out my original version of the Grail Psalms today. Lo and behold, there is no copyright in the book! Is this possible?

    I am including images of the initial pages of the book published by Deus Books in conjuction with Paulist Press.

    What does everyone know about this?

    Here is a very interesting link that addresses this issue too.

    www.churchofengland.org/media/41098/litcopy.rtf

    This is interesting because the Revised Grail Psalms are nearly identical (BUT ARE NOT) to the original and therefore the New Grail is under copyright but the old one is not.

    (NOTE: I have removed the html code that automatically displays these images. You can still view them by putting the url in the address bar.

    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/seehear/grailPsalms056.jpg
    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/seehear/grailPsalms057.jpg
    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/seehear/grailPsalms058.jpg
    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/seehear/grailPsalms059.jpg
    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/seehear/grailPsalms060.jpg
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    Several things. Under the current (retroactive) law, there is automatic copyright protection for all writings and publications - even stupid scribblings on a paper napkin. One doesn't need to file and one doesn't even need to claim copyright. It is automatic. Now, it is true that there are complicated rules for much older works that do not carry the mark. All these rules - which are complex - apply to works published before 1963 (in the U.S.). The final point is that the law doesn't matter; in this world, the deep pockets rule. In the case of this edition of Grail, GIA claims to administer the rights. Unless you have the ability/willingness to litigate for 10 years and dedicate your life to this goal, you have to defer to GIA. This is hardly an unusual case (there are amazing stories I could tell).
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Toward the bottom of the last page is a line "The Grail (England) 1963". I suspect that the line is intended as a declaration of copyright.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Thanks JT and chonak.
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