[cc-community] How to apply a Creative Commons license to an existing book

Jon Andersen janderse at gmail.com
Thu May 15 23:06:31 EDT 2008


I am a family history enthusiast and would like to assist in making
unique genealogical books available under a Creative Commons license.
What is the best way (most legally binding), as a third-party, to help
the (cooperative) copyright holder of a rare book apply a Creative
Commons license to it?  They aren't interested in all the effort of
republishing it at the moment and so that option is out.

Details:
There was a book on a church history published in 1988 in the U.S.
(registered with the copyright office) whose copyright holder in the
book is listed as the church itself; my copy happens to be autographed
by the author.  However, the online copyright office search lists the
claimant as the author, not the church.  The author has passed away,
but a relative of the author has continued maintaining the history of
the church.  I have contacted the current pastor and he is willing to
bring the matter before the church governance for approval.  It is up
to me to provide him with a letter and something to sign.

Is there a boilerplate Creative Commons licensing form somewhere?  I
want to make it as easy as possible for them - something along the
lines of "sign here and its done".  I know how to access the
appropriate license online, but the wrinkle is how to apply the
license to an existing book in a simple way.

I am not asking for official legal advice.  I would like to know ideas
you have about something that they could sign to make the book
available under an Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-Alike US
Creative Commons license.

-Jon


More information about the cc-community mailing list