[okfn-discuss] Historical directories

Mon Dec 3 23:48:36 UTC 2007

Dear Jamie,

We'd be happy to host the material/db but we aren't in a position to 
contribute funding to maintain the project (particularly as it currently 
isn't 'open'[1] due to the variety of restrictions on use they impose). 
Do you have any idea whether they'd be willing to contribute the 
material under a truly open license to a group such as ourselves so it 
can at least be maintained into the future?

Regards,

Rufus

PS: This is exactly the kind of material/project to add into thhe 
Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network (http://www.ckan.net/). So if 
you do come across other stuff like this and you have a minute it would 
be great if you could add it there.

[1]: http://opendefinition.org/

Jamie Woods wrote:
> Rufus
> Thanks for your reply. I can't do much more, but I suggest you write to 
> them (there is a 'contact us' on their site). I have today had some 
> contact with them, and it seems they do not intend to close it down, but 
> are looking for more funding to increase the directory database.
> Regards, Jamie Woods
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rufus Pollock" <rufus.pollock at okfn.org>
> To: "Jamie Woods" <obfuscated>
> Cc: "okfn-discuss" <okfn-discuss at lists.okfn.org>
> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 5:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Historical directories
> 
> 
>> Jamie Woods wrote:
>>> I am certainly in favour of open knowledge, and I wonder if you are 
>>> aware of the site www.historicaldirectories.org 
>>> <http://www.historicaldirectories.org> which provides access to many 
>>> directories (eg Kelly's and Post Office) up to about 1920. It has a 
>>> good search mechanism and you can find and print most things. It is 
>>> run by the University of Leicester, and according to its 'News' the 
>>> funding ran out in October 2004 and the site will become unavailable 
>>> at the end of this year.
>>> It is an excellent example of open knowledge (even if a bit out of 
>>> date), and it would be a great pity for it to close down.
>>> Is it possible for you to do anything about keeping it going?
>>
>> This looks interesting and definitely something that should have been 
>> preserved. I'm cc'ing our discuss list in on this to see what other 
>> people think.
>>
>> In the mean time would you be able to find out more about whether 
>> they'd make the source material (database) available and on what 
>> terms. I note that at present their legal statement is fairly 
>> draconian (http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/legal.asp):
>>
>> "Unless otherwise indicated, all intellectual property rights in the 
>> Material appearing on this Web Site are owned by the University of 
>> Leicester.
>>
>> ...
>>
>> The following activities are prohibited: (i) sale, rental, leasing or 
>> lending of any Material appearing on the Web Site, (ii) 
>> retransmission, redistribution or storage of the whole or any part of 
>> the Material appearing on the Web Site in any electronic retrieval or 
>> storage system, (iii) republication of any Material appearing on the 
>> Web Site in any medium (including mirroring of the whole or any part 
>> of the Material on the World Wide Web or the Internet)."
>>
>> ~rufus
>>
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> 