A library can claim copyright on published holdings

[coulonnus]

Compare http://www.bnf.fr/pages/zNavigat/frame/ ... rif_gb.htm if the photocopies are for you only, and

http://www.bnf.fr/pages/zNavigat/frame/ ... dev_gb.htm if you plan to reproduce it afterwards.

http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/atyourdesk/ima ... terms.html

It seems pressing the button of a photocopier at Bibliothèque nationale de France or at British Library is art! Are all libraries in the world like that?

[kalliwoda]

Many libraries try to stake out the greatest possible copyright claim.
An anecdotic evidence:
Dresden State Library send me a CD with scans (pdf) of old music prints (Mozart Gran Partita arr. ca. 1810). When I could not crop the pages or change the page format, forcing me to print to A4 with about 10x14cm print area, because the pdf-files were password protected, I called and got as answer: these pdf's are copyrighted by the repro-department, changes are not allowed....
Wien Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde even charged even a "copyright" fee per title copied of 50-200 euro in addition to the reproduction costs (don't know, if they still do that).

[vinteuil]

To unlock, just use PDF Split and Merge to merge one PDf. Should work.

[Carolus]

This issue has come up over at Wikipedia. The British Museum is attempting to claim copyright on the reproduction of unambiguously public domain artwork and has apparently issued threats to sue Wikipedia in US court. If the British Library, BN, et al actually manage to make a case for this, it will effectively abolish the public domain. The entire notion is utterly ridiculous, of course, but it does give an insight into the mindset present in the bureaucrats in charge of such institutions.

[coulonnus]

The Bibliothèque nationale de France does not explicitely use the word `copyright' but when you fill the form to order a reproduction you certify it is for your private use only. So it seems if you reproduce it afterwards it is some sort of perjury.

[jfarrington]

This is fairly typical for libraries dealing with authors and publishers, especially when the item is something from their rare books or special collections departments.