Concertina FAQ in the British Library

[Chris Timson]

Yesterday I got an email which started

The British Library would like to archive the following website:

http://www.concertina.info/

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

The British Library would like to invite you to participate in our web archiving programme. We select and archive sites to represent aspects of UK documentary heritage and as a result, they will remain available to researchers in the future. The British Library works closely with leading UK institutions to collect and permanently preserve the UK web, and our archive can be seen at http://www.webarchive.org.uk/.

 

There are benefits to you as a website owner in having your publication archived by the British Library such as having a historical record of your website. We aim to develop preservation mechanisms to keep your publication permanently accessible as hardware and software change over time.

 

Well, I've completed the requisite licence form. I'm a bit chuffed about this, as you might imagine.

 

Chris

[Kautilya]

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Edited November 7, 2010 by Kautilya

[Jody Kruskal]

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Well my finger did not slip as I say... congratulations Tim. Clearly you are doing something right. What a plumb.

[Chris Drinkwater]

I don't think that the printed word will ever die out completely and be replaced by purely electronic means, like the email, web sites, Twitter, etc. but the BL has to move with the times and embrace this new technology and save and store much of the interesting material that now gets published on the web in one form or another, such as Chris's Concertina FAQs, for the benefit of future generations. So, well done, Chris. The BL also have a sound archive, like the Library of Congress, featuring music and the spoken word, including examples of people speaking in various English dialects, that have been selected and saved as examples of our culture at different times over past 100 years or more since the first audio recordings were made. I remember that about 3 years ago, someone from the BL came to the Islington Folk Club (Jody's played there!), especially to make some field recordings of that night's star performer, who's name now escapes me, and these recordings were to be subsequently lodged in the recorded music section, presumably under 'folk music', to preserve examples of that performer and his repertoire for posterity. You could always send them one of your CDs Jody!

 

Chris

[Chris Timson]

Someone sent me the following pm and I thought others might be interested so I'm replying here:-

 

Dear Chris - I know u are pretty clued in on copyright etc. and wondering if BL form will suck into its archive ICA material and maybe concertina.net?

 

What happens is that the British Library invites suggestions for sites, reviews them and if they consider them appropriate issue an invitation to the site owner to allow them to archive the site. c.net would not receive an invitation because it is Canadian. I had to sign a licence guaranteeing that there are no copyright issues with my site (which there aren't, apart from credited quotes which are governed by fair usage provisions everything there is mine). The British Library won't go beyond the confines of the concertina.info domain.

 

The reason I'm really chuffed about this, apart from being recognised as a British site of documentary merit (along with thousands of other sites, so I'm not getting too carried away ) it means that whatever happens to me and my site in future it will continue to exist and be accessible and properly curated within the British Library's archive for generations to come.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

PS there's a printed copy of the origninal email version of the FAQ in the Library of Congress Folk Life Center too!

 

PPS perhaps someone should suggest the ICA site. If the British Library think it appropriate they would issue an invitation and it would then be for the ICA to consider the matter of copyright material on their site.

[Alan Day]

Well done Chris !!

You have spent a lot of time and effort putting this all together over the years and appreciated by all new concertina players.

A lovely result

Al

[Takayuki YAGI]

Congrats !!

[chris]

Well done

chris

[John Wild]

Congratulations. Fully deserved.

 

- John

[Woody]

Hey Chris - congratulations. It's well deserved.

 

W

[Daniel Hersh]

Congratulations. Fully deserved.

 

- John

 

Likewise from me, The FAQ was a great pioneer and is still very valuable.

 

Daniel

[Dirge]

Yes my congratulations too.

 

When I was starting out trying to sort out what's what in the concertina world I found the FAQ very helpful and I don't think I've ever said 'Thank you Chris' before.

[Kautilya]

Someone sent me the following pm and I thought others might be interested so I'm replying here:-

 

Dear Chris - I know u are pretty clued in on copyright etc. and wondering if BL form will suck into its archive ICA material and maybe concertina.net?

 

 

PPS perhaps someone should suggest the ICA site. If the British Library think it appropriate they would issue an invitation and it would then be for the ICA to consider the matter of copyright material on their site.

Of course,it is v good that you are enjoying recognition of all the hard work and hours put in. :)

 

As you point out Chris, the paying membership of, and copyright holders who have allowed their work to appear on, the ICA site would need be consulted about the terms of such an arrangement.

 

The issue is not necessarily about personal use for personal development. It is when "commercial compilers" start spidering (picking up) such works for resale.

 

That includes those out of copyright which survive only because they were rescued by volunteers who scan/reproduce and preserve them on such sites as ICA)

 

For example this arrangement by BL (working with Microsoft), the BL having, (one understands) allegedly backed away from Googlebooks, unlike the Bodleian which (one understands) allegedly embraced Google and allowed in-copyright material to be scanned from its stacks)which then appear on Googlebooks for purchase through selling agents:

 

You might note two lines in the following report

 

"....the public to order from Amazon for around £15."

 

and later:

"The library is concentrating on the 19th century because the books are out of copyright and so can be offered for free."

15 quid is not free "in my book"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/7181012/British-Library-to-offer-19th-Century-first-editions-for-free-download-on-Amazon-Kindle.html

 

Gutenberg is really free.

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

 

You could of course have the paper out of copyright text (without the facsimile first edition title page) in pursuit of the dissemination of knowledge at cost plus a small amount for the producer to keep the machine turning, at a reasonable price which has not changed from a quid for at least a decade if memory serves, tho not necessarily from this source which is charging a quid today.

http://www.chapter2000.co.uk/category.do?category=54

 

While the focus of concern by some authors is about books (and note the Googlebooks Canada connection)

 

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article7005351.ece

 

lyricists, dot creators, artists and graphic designers and photographers are already exercised about how they are being affected.

 

The Googlebooks case has been kicked into touch until US Judge Denny Chin makes a ruling.

 

This is a dreadfully confused and complex area and a tricky one to debate here. So I am simply putting up a little alert flag for those who may not be au fait with the ramifications. I do not wish to get into a full blown analysis.

 

But at core, the artist/creator's copyright is for them to decide how it is licensed and how they make and spend their earnings and protect their pensions (and often they do not have pensions)just income from their work. That is why we are generally so particular about asking composers whether they mind some of their jolly toons being available occasionally for cnet/melnet/ica/cinfo to practise as individuals.

 

For those starting off who want to make a living in music remember that precisely because there is the Web you do not need Googlebooks or Amazon or whoever to sell your output and take their (very large) cut for minimum electronic work - the punter will find your output if they want, even direct from you. Not all search engines are Google. And your bank does not take 30 to 60 per cent of your salary for receiving it electronically from your employer into your account, or take a big commission to pay your electricity or gas bill..........

 

Witness how some would not have benefited if Richard Stilgoe had not had control of his creative talents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stilgoe

 

©--although that symbol is not necessary as copyright is, de facto, implicit. :ph34r: :D

Edited November 9, 2010 by Kautilya

[Kautilya]

whoops... dropped the link for the quotes below

[quote name='Kautilya' timestamp='1289262476'

For example this arrangement by BL (working with Microsoft), the BL having, (one understands) allegedly backed away from Googlebooks, unlike the Bodleian which (one understands) allegedly embraced Google and allowed in-copyright material to be scanned from its stacks)which then appear on Googlebooks for purchase through selling agents:

 

You might note two lines in the following report

 

"....the public to order from Amazon for around £15."

 

and later:

"The library is concentrating on the 19th century because the books are out of copyright and so can be offered for free."

15 quid is not free "in my book"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/7181012/British-Library-to-offer-19th-Century-first-editions-for-free-download-on-Amazon-Kindle.html

 

Gutenberg is really free.

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

[Chris Timson]

Gosh! Saying "You're welcome" seems inadequate. I can say I feel well rewarded for doing the FAQ in terms of the friendships I've made and even some doors it has opened for us (I would imagine Paul feels similarly about this site). I guess I'll just fall back on the traditional British all-purpose word and say:

 

Cheers