Permitted use of LoC records obtained using yaz-client

Hi Richard,

I've also been trying to answer this question with
regard to my own project and have come to the same
conclusion as everyone else- namely, that because the
LoC is a federal institution its bibliographic records
are in the public domain.

The links you cited in your last e-mail seem to relate
to actual content within the LoC's collections, rather
than the metadata which describes such content. 
However, this raises interesting questions about the
documents and lists the LoC maintains that are used
within MARC- for example, the various organization
codes used to describe the cataloging entity.  These
can currently be queried via an online form on an
individual basis, but there is no complete list
currently available online that I am aware of.

The assumption that the bibliographic records are
unencumbered just because the cataloger is a public
entity does not always apply, however.  The British
Library, for example, does not allow free access to
its records:

http://meta.wikimedia.org/wik
i/List_of_Wikicat_OPAC_Targets#British_Library.2FCOPAC

It would thus be very helpful if Larry Dixon from the
Library of Congress, who is a frequenter of this list,
could reply and definitively settle the matter once
and for all.

BTW, Richard- I am working on a similar project as
yourself and will eventually create tools and an
infrastructure to import ONIX data feeds (put out by
book publishers to describe their new offerings); I
would be more than happy to share the results of my
work and this would cover you on the newer, more
recently released end of things.


 
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Jonathan et al.

On Wed, 2006-12-06 at 08:39, Jonathan Leybovich wrote:
> Hi Richard,
> 
> I've also been trying to answer this question with
> regard to my own project and have come to the same
> conclusion as everyone else- namely, that because the
> LoC is a federal institution its bibliographic records
> are in the public domain.
> 
> The links you cited in your last e-mail seem to relate
> to actual content within the LoC's collections, rather
> than the metadata which describes such content. 

Subsequent to my last posting I have received written
confirmation from
the LOC Integrated Systems Office that:

1./ searching the LOC database via the web or via Z39.50 is
free to all

2./ one need not ask for permission to copy records or
re-distribute
records one has modified

3./ the LOC is happy to make its metadata available to other
libraries


Best regards,

 Richard Mahoney


-- 
Richard MAHONEY | internet: http://indica-et-buddh
ica.org/
Littledene      | telephone/telefax (man.): +64 3 312 1699
Bay Road        | cellular: +64 27 482 9986
OXFORD, NZ      | email: r.mahoneyindica-et-buddhica.org
-----------------------------------------------------------
Philologica: http://ind
ica-et-buddhica.org/philologica/
Repositorium: http://in
dica-et-buddhica.org/repositorium/


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On Wed, 6 Dec 2006, Richard Mahoney wrote:

> Subsequent to my last posting I have received written
confirmation from
> the LOC Integrated Systems Office that:
> 
> 1./ searching the LOC database via the web or via
Z39.50 is free to all
> 
> 2./ one need not ask for permission to copy records or
re-distribute
> records one has modified
> 
> 3./ the LOC is happy to make its metadata available to
other libraries

This is correct.  I would also like to emphasize something
that
Sebastian mentioned last week when he encouraged all to
"play
nice".  

LC makes our metadata available, but we must also balance
access
for all users.  We monitor network traffic to identify
client
behavior that we consider to be abusive in nature.  (You
would
not believe some of the client behavior that we have
witnessed.)
We do block IP addresses if our server is being flooded with

requests.  

Therefore, if you construct a batch-search facility, please
do 
your best to mimic an actual human user.  In other words,
use 
a single (simultaneous) network connection and program a
pause 
between requests.

If your client is stateless, I would suggest a 10-second
pause.
If your client is stateful, a 6-second pause would be
acceptable.

Please contact me if you have any additional questions.

Thanks for your consideration.
Larry


> Best regards,
> 
>  Richard Mahoney
> 
> 
> -- 
> Richard MAHONEY | internet: http://indica-et-buddh
ica.org/
> Littledene      | telephone/telefax (man.): +64 3 312
1699
> Bay Road        | cellular: +64 27 482 9986
> OXFORD, NZ      | email: r.mahoneyindica-et-buddhica.org
>
-----------------------------------------------------------
> Philologica: http://ind
ica-et-buddhica.org/philologica/
> Repositorium: http://in
dica-et-buddhica.org/repositorium/


------------------------------------------------------------
Larry E. Dixson                    Internet:    ldixloc.gov
Network Development and MARC
   Standards Office, LA327
Library of Congress                Telephone: (202) 707-5807
Washington, D.C.  20540-4402       Fax:       (202) 707-0115


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Larry,

Has LC considered making its data available via something
like bittorrent?

There's obviously a fairly big demand for it and I would
imagine it
wouldn't be hard to find seeders.  That would probably
reduce your
load considerably, but, obviously, would require incremental
snapshots
or something.

-Ross.

On 12/6/06, Larry E. Dixson <ldixloc.gov> wrote:
> On Wed, 6 Dec 2006, Richard Mahoney wrote:
>
> > Subsequent to my last posting I have received
written confirmation from
> > the LOC Integrated Systems Office that:
> >
> > 1./ searching the LOC database via the web or via
Z39.50 is free to all
> >
> > 2./ one need not ask for permission to copy
records or re-distribute
> > records one has modified
> >
> > 3./ the LOC is happy to make its metadata
available to other libraries
>
> This is correct.  I would also like to emphasize
something that
> Sebastian mentioned last week when he encouraged all to
"play
> nice".
>
> LC makes our metadata available, but we must also
balance access
> for all users.  We monitor network traffic to identify
client
> behavior that we consider to be abusive in nature. 
(You would
> not believe some of the client behavior that we have
witnessed.)
> We do block IP addresses if our server is being flooded
with
> requests.
>
> Therefore, if you construct a batch-search facility,
please do
> your best to mimic an actual human user.  In other
words, use
> a single (simultaneous) network connection and program
a pause
> between requests.
>
> If your client is stateless, I would suggest a
10-second pause.
> If your client is stateful, a 6-second pause would be
acceptable.
>
> Please contact me if you have any additional questions.
>
> Thanks for your consideration.
> Larry
>
>
> > Best regards,
> >
> >  Richard Mahoney
> >
> >
> > --
> > Richard MAHONEY | internet: http://indica-et-buddh
ica.org/
> > Littledene      | telephone/telefax (man.): +64 3
312 1699
> > Bay Road        | cellular: +64 27 482 9986
> > OXFORD, NZ      | email: r.mahoneyindica-et-buddhica.org
> >
-----------------------------------------------------------
> > Philologica: http://ind
ica-et-buddhica.org/philologica/
> > Repositorium: http://in
dica-et-buddhica.org/repositorium/
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------
> Larry E. Dixson                    Internet:   
ldixloc.gov
> Network Development and MARC
>    Standards Office, LA327
> Library of Congress                Telephone: (202)
707-5807
> Washington, D.C.  20540-4402       Fax:       (202)
707-0115
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Yazlist mailing list
> Yazlistlists.indexdata.dk
> http://lists.indexdata.dk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/yaz
list
>
>

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On Wed, 6 Dec 2006, Ross Singer wrote:

> Larry,
> 
> Has LC considered making its data available via
something like bittorrent?

Not to my knowledge.

> 
> There's obviously a fairly big demand for it and I
would imagine it
> wouldn't be hard to find seeders.  That would probably
reduce your
> load considerably, but, obviously, would require
incremental snapshots
> or something.

At present our metadata is available by subscription from
our 
Cataloging Distribution Service

      http://www.loc.gov/cd
s/mds.html

or from our server (record-by-record).
Larry

> 
> -Ross.
> 
> On 12/6/06, Larry E. Dixson <ldixloc.gov> wrote:
> > On Wed, 6 Dec 2006, Richard Mahoney wrote:
> >
> > > Subsequent to my last posting I have received
written confirmation from
> > > the LOC Integrated Systems Office that:
> > >
> > > 1./ searching the LOC database via the web or
via Z39.50 is free to all
> > >
> > > 2./ one need not ask for permission to copy
records or re-distribute
> > > records one has modified
> > >
> > > 3./ the LOC is happy to make its metadata
available to other libraries
> >
> > This is correct.  I would also like to emphasize
something that
> > Sebastian mentioned last week when he encouraged
all to "play
> > nice".
> >
> > LC makes our metadata available, but we must also
balance access
> > for all users.  We monitor network traffic to
identify client
> > behavior that we consider to be abusive in nature.
 (You would
> > not believe some of the client behavior that we
have witnessed.)
> > We do block IP addresses if our server is being
flooded with
> > requests.
> >
> > Therefore, if you construct a batch-search
facility, please do
> > your best to mimic an actual human user.  In other
words, use
> > a single (simultaneous) network connection and
program a pause
> > between requests.
> >
> > If your client is stateless, I would suggest a
10-second pause.
> > If your client is stateful, a 6-second pause would
be acceptable.
> >
> > Please contact me if you have any additional
questions.
> >
> > Thanks for your consideration.
> > Larry
> >
> >
> > > Best regards,
> > >
> > >  Richard Mahoney
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Richard MAHONEY | internet: http://indica-et-buddh
ica.org/
> > > Littledene      | telephone/telefax (man.):
+64 3 312 1699
> > > Bay Road        | cellular: +64 27 482 9986
> > > OXFORD, NZ      | email: r.mahoneyindica-et-buddhica.org
> > >
-----------------------------------------------------------
> > > Philologica: http://ind
ica-et-buddhica.org/philologica/
> > > Repositorium: http://in
dica-et-buddhica.org/repositorium/


------------------------------------------------------------
Larry E. Dixson                    Internet:    ldixloc.gov
Network Development and MARC
   Standards Office, LA327
Library of Congress                Telephone: (202) 707-5807
Washington, D.C.  20540-4402       Fax:       (202) 707-0115


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