"Sigi Rindler" <srindler@da2.so-net.ne.jp> wrote in message

> > I'd bet this is also illegal.
>
> I don't think so since most libraries are run by city offices. They would
> have been sued long ago if it was illegal.

No, the libraries are not doing the copy, so *they* are not doing the
illegal action. *You* do it yourself... In theory, you could be sued.

> Maybe they pay a small amount to
> a relevant organisation representing the artists to make it a legal
> business.

There is a copyright tax on copy machines in France (but not in Germany),
and still, making the copy of a something coyrighted and  borrowed at a
library is not legal. only *tolerated* if it's a partial copy for private
use.

The most absurd situations I have seen :

-A company was sued for using copies of  a list of requirement of the iso
9001 norm. The list was one A4 page, that was sold something like 20 000 yen
a piece then,. That company had bought one and gave copies to its
branches...The iso-racket-connection said they had to pay the 20 000 yen for
each branch, sued them, and won the case... I was told that story, in full
detailed by a director of the iso-ETA, then later in his lecture, he gave us
copies of his list and said "swear me you're not going to use that copy or
tell anyone about its content". At the end, I have brought mine back onto
his table, with a "no thanks" post it on it.  The content had absolutely
nothing secret or original.

-A service of my uni called "adminstrative examination information desk" is
a public service, it gives freely informations about offers for jobs as
civil servants, army or in national education. The information is extracted
from the "journal officiel" (official bulletin published by French
govermement). Normally, it's not copyrighted since it's "law" . BUT they
were fined because they allowed students to make the copies on their machine
!!!!  So all they could do was typing the information and puting on posters
on the walls  in that room, then students would go there to copy it
handwriting. I have suggested that they should sell the "journal officiel"
(that costed the price of 2 photocopies), but they couldn't because of some
State monopoly.
The next year, the data was published directly on internet, anybody can
access it freely, no copyrights....

Have you heard of that film director that is sued asked to pay millions to
the ex-commies because one character in his film whistles the International
?  The author of the song died in misery because then the commies ignored
the copyrights...now they claim they inherited his rights !

Kuri