This is a freely-accessible, publicly-funded digital archive that collects together significant documents relating to the history of copyright law and practice. The documents have been selected by national editors, with the input of an editorial advisory board. Key documents are, where appropriate, transcribed and translated. The editors have written commentaries, explaining the reasons for selecting documents and their significance. The project was launched in 2008, initially funded by the AHRC in relation to 5 countries. Since 2024 it is supported by the AHRC as UK research infrastructure. The archive now extends to more than 20 (including historical and religious) jurisdictions and over 700 primary source documents. They can be browsed by date/language/jurisdiction, or searched.
1774 | The Cases of the Appellants and Respondents (United Kingdom) |
1774 | Booksellers' Bill (United Kingdom) |
1813 | Report of the Acts Respecting Copyright (United Kingdom) |
1813 | Select Committee Report on Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (United Kingdom) |
1813 | Select Committee Report: Minutes of Evidence (United Kingdom) |
1814* | Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1814 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (19 May) (United Kingdom) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (18 May) (United Kingdom) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (7 June) (United Kingdom) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (12 July) (United Kingdom) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (15 July) (United Kingdom) |
1818 | Select Committee Report on the Copyright Acts (United Kingdom) |
1818 | Select Committee Report: Minutes of Evidence (United Kingdom) |
1828* | Maugham's Treatise (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1837 | Copyright Bill (6 June) (United Kingdom) |
1838* | International Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1838 | Copyright Bill (27 Feb.) (United Kingdom) |
1838 | Copyright Bill (6 June) (United Kingdom) |
1839 | Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1840 | Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1841 | Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1842* | Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1842* | Lowndes' Historical Sketch of the Law of Copyright (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (4 March) (United Kingdom) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (23 March) (United Kingdom) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (21 April) (United Kingdom) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (27 June) (United Kingdom) |
1844* | International Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1844 | International Copyright Bill (United Kingdom) |
1847* | A Treatise on the Law of Copyright (United States) Commentary: [1] |
1848 | Jay, Bryant and Others' Memorials (United States) |
1851 | Anglo-French Copyright Treaty (United Kingdom) |
1852* | International Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1853 | British-American Copyright Convention Draft (United States) |
1857* | Anglo-Spanish Copyright Treaty (Spain) Commentary: [1] |
1869 | Artistic Copyright Bill, London (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1870* | Copinger's Law of Copyright (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1872 | Correspondence and Papers on Colonial Copyright (United Kingdom) |
1878* | Royal Commissioners' Report (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1878 | Royal Commission on Copyright: Minutes of Evidence (United Kingdom) |
1879 | Copyright Consolidation Bill (United Kingdom) |
1880 | Anglo-Spanish Bilateral Copyright Treaty (Spain) |