How to view a book when the copyright won't allow online viewing?
This should be an easy answer, but I can't find it posted. There are 4 books written about my family in the FS library. However, they all state "Due to copyright restrictions, this book cannot be viewed online." Can this be viewed at a local Affiliate library or local FamilySearch Center, or is the only option to travel to the main Utah FS library?
Best Answer
-
The Remote Lookup service won't do the trick when the user does not know if the book may contain the needed info or even if the book has a name index.
0
Answers
-
Here is a help center article that discusses what books can be viewed where: https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/which-books-in-the-familysearch-digital-library-require-access-rights
The article states:
"The access level displays in each item's search result.
- Public: The book has no copyright protections and is available to view online without restrictions.
- Protected: The book has copyright protections. You cannot view it online.
- Full Permission: The book has copyright protections. The copyright holder granted permission for FamilySearch users to access the book online. You can view, print, and download the book.
- Limited Permission: The book has copyright protections. You can view it online, but cannot print or download.
- Member Permission: You can view it online at the FamilySearch Library, a FamilySearch center, or at the partner library that shared it with FamilySearch."
When you searched for them, the status for those books should have been listed as one of those five when in List View like this:
If your books show as "Protected," then you have to track it down elsewhere.
If you look up the titles in WorldCat at https://www.worldcat.org/ you might get lucky and find that a library closer to you than Salt Lake has copies.
You also might check https://archive.org/ and see if they have a copy.
2 -
JStor https://www.jstor.org/ is another option for finding books that cannot be viewed online through FamilySearch books.
1 -
If you have an Ancestry account, many so called "copyrighted" books are completely available there as well as Google books if the copyright has expired. I've found that FamilySearch is not vigilant in monitoring when copyright restrictions expire. Then, if that doesn't work (ie copyright is still in force), go to World Cat web site to see what libraries have the book. There might be a copy available near you.
0 -
Thanks for the suggestions, but I have search extensively elsewhere and even contacted extended family of the book authors. My question still remains: Can books be viewed at a local FS Affiliate library or local FamilySearch Center, or is the only option to travel to the main Utah FS library? It seems that surely there must be a way to view a digitized FS book without having to travel to Utah.
0 -
As stated above, if the access level is showing as Protected, then no.
The only option is to travel to Salt Lake and sit down with the actual books. Protected means you cannot view the digital version, not even in Salt Lake. It must be that the owner of the copyright allowed it to be scanned to preserve it, not to distribute it.
1 -
What are the titles and authors of these books?
0 -
The books are available in other libraries, but so far I've not found any libraries that allow the books to be loaned, and none are within a reasonable distance from me. That is why I was trying to see if the digital version can be viewed remotely or at least loaned to one of their FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate libraries. Today I found a genealogical society that has the books and can research my family tree questions for me for a small fee. That seems the best alternative so far.
The books are:
Descendants of Wiley Reeves of York County, South Carolina and Fayette and Spalding Counties, Georgia. Arthur Ray Rowland
Reeves family of Georgia, The : Primarily in Fayette County, with beginnings in England and Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Rowland, Arthur Ray
Wiley Reeves : his descendants and ancestors from England to Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Jasper, Fayette and Spalding counties, Georgia : with connections to Goodman and Rowland families. Rowland, Arthur Ray
Reeves Family Genealogy as Descended from Allen Reeves of Fayette County, Georgia : through his son Oliver Allen Reeves. Reeves, Hilda Lott
0 -
Glad you found some way to get some information from them.
Have you tried contacting any used book stores in Fayette or one of the other counties? I checked a couple of major online sellers of used books and can't find a copy of any of them. I did see notices that at least a couple of them are out of print.
Any chance you can track down the author if he is still alive or the current holder of the copyright to let him know it is impossible to find a copy of these and plead with him to give FamilySearch permission to change the status on them?
0 -
At least one of the titles you listed is in my local library, one of the top genealogy libraries in the US.
If you want to share what you're looking for, I can take a look when I next go to the library. We're in deep snow and bitter cold right now, so I won't be going right away, but I go regularly.
3 -
That would be great Áine Ní Donnghaile! I sent you a message with more details.
0 -
Also consider the Record Lookup Service:
"When requesting a book, please be as specific as possible about what you are seeking. Using the same online request form, guests can provide the title or call number of the book, along with the page number they would like copied. The staff will send a PDF copy of the page or pages, as allowed. In cases where page numbers are unknown, staff can check the index in a book for the listing of a name or chosen term to help provide the right pages"
https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/new-library-lookup-service-for-when-you-cant-visit-the-family-history-library#:~:text=requesting%20a%20book,provide%20the%20right
0
