Ruling on footnotes please

AlexBell · 03-24-2019, 01:53 AM

I'm now working on Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, using the version from the University of Adelaide ebook library as source and checking against the Wordsworth Classics print version.

The Adelaide source has many footnotes, and they are replicated in the Wordsworth Classics version - as well as hundreds of new footnotes which are numbered separately.

I'm pretty sure from the sardonic style of many of the footnotes in the Adelaide version that they were written by Henry Fielding himself. But I can't be certain - I haven't been able to find an original source, and anyway I've never seen 'the maker of footnotes' identified in any book.

Will the ebook be acceptable for the MobileRead library when it is finished?

DaleDe · 03-25-2019, 01:27 PM

I have never heard of anyone copyrighting footnotes. I presume these are explanatory since reference footnotes cannot be copyrighted. I would expect the addition of explanatory footnotes would have a preface or introduction identifying the author and referencing them to be a valid copyright.

Jellby · 03-25-2019, 03:05 PM

In the absence of any other evidence, I'd assume the author of the footnotes to be the same as the author of the text, or the preface/introduction (or the translator). If there is evidence against that (e.g., earlier editions published during the author's lifetime lacking the footnotes), I'd assume the footnotes are "anonymous", subject to default publication date + 70 years copyright.

This is of course no legal opinion, just the rules of thumb I'd apply if I find such a work in our library

AlexBell · 03-30-2019, 04:49 AM

Thanks to you both.

03-24-2019, 01:53 AM	#1
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Ruling on footnotes please I'm now working on Tom Jones by Henry Fielding, using the version from the University of Adelaide ebook library as source and checking against the Wordsworth Classics print version. The Adelaide source has many footnotes, and they are replicated in the Wordsworth Classics version - as well as hundreds of new footnotes which are numbered separately. I'm pretty sure from the sardonic style of many of the footnotes in the Adelaide version that they were written by Henry Fielding himself. But I can't be certain - I haven't been able to find an original source, and anyway I've never seen 'the maker of footnotes' identified in any book. Will the ebook be acceptable for the MobileRead library when it is finished?

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03-25-2019, 01:27 PM	#2
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	I have never heard of anyone copyrighting footnotes. I presume these are explanatory since reference footnotes cannot be copyrighted. I would expect the addition of explanatory footnotes would have a preface or introduction identifying the author and referencing them to be a valid copyright.

03-25-2019, 03:05 PM	#3
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,536 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	In the absence of any other evidence, I'd assume the author of the footnotes to be the same as the author of the text, or the preface/introduction (or the translator). If there is evidence against that (e.g., earlier editions published during the author's lifetime lacking the footnotes), I'd assume the footnotes are "anonymous", subject to default publication date + 70 years copyright. This is of course no legal opinion, just the rules of thumb I'd apply if I find such a work in our library

03-30-2019, 04:49 AM	#4
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Thanks to you both.

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