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Comment by ionathan | Hacker News Reader

Whoops, thanks for catching that typo!

What’s the potential copyright issue with the request to Cambridge?

BTW, terrific detective work. I love mysteries like these.

When I tried to request it via ILL, they told me that the amount of material scanned "exceeds copyright law and scanning limits". I haven't bothered to look up whatever law that is, and I'm not sure if it's a US thing, or if it's on the UK side, and if so, whether students/faculty at Cambridge are under the same restrictions and they'd have to end up paying the same fees as well. I have a friend whose advisor works there, but I'm reluctant to ask them for the favour and potentially drag them into numerous back-and-forth emails with Cambridge Library and copyright issues...

Just on copyright - all you want is to take a peek? It is not that you would have to share the complete scans with the world.

Let's say the character means "X" and you can see it on some obscure page - could sharing that be a copyright issue?

Here's what the Cambridge Library says [1] about scans:

> Scans are provided with certain conditions of supply:

> 1. Not pass on, or upload, the electronic copy or make it available to any other person

> 2. Not make further printed or electronic copies

:shrug:

[1] https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/search-and-find/zero-contact-servi...

> When you request a scan, you will be asked to confirm that you acknowledge a copyright declaration which states that you have not already been supplied with a copy of the same material, that you will use the copy only for non-commercial research or private study, nor supply the copy to another person. Copyright forms will be retained by the University Library in perpetuity. (emphasis added)

Wow! Pretty bold promise from a university that’s already been around for 1000 years or whatever. I feel like they’re really staking their credibility on indefinite document retention here lol.

My brother completed his Master's at Queen's College Cambridge and the porters there offer indefinite storage for all active students and alum. He stored his road bicycle in their storage there for something like 8 years before finally getting back out there and arranging to have it shipped. They're pretty big on retention, is my point.

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