markings YOURARCHIVESINTERCHANGE Vol.32·No.2—Summer2012 ·Why can’t I have a copy of that letter?’ Most peoplewouldsurelyneverupload animageorvideotoa toricalmaterialthathasbeencompiledsincetheearlyexis- Web site,put an unlicensed software program on their comtenceoftheoffice. puter, publish or distribute photocopies of copyrighted works The ArchivesPhotocopyingPolicyhasbeen established without appropriate credit or permissionfrom the author. Yet, toprotectthephysicalandtheintellectualintegrityofthe manypeoplewill—without much consideration——make collection.In addition,thepolicy’s purposeis toprotect photocopies of unpublished letters and publish these in newstheanonymityandprivacyofourmembers,nonmembers, letters, books or on the Web. Though unintentional, photoandtocomplywiththeU.S.CopyrightLawasitaffects copying and distributing these unpublished works could conthe collection. stitute a violation ofthe Copyright Act. Photocopiesofcopyrightmaterialandcertainothermate- At theGeneralService OfficeArchivesweareoften chalrialsauthorizedbythearchivist,willbeprovidedatthediscrelenged withrequests for photocopies of members’personal tionofA.A.W.S.,Inc.,withintheminimumstandardsforfair letters or other unpublished materials.For instance,we receive use,forpurposes ofprivatestudy,scholarshiporresearch, numerous requests for photocopies of early personal correandnotforfurtherreproduction.Understandably,wewould spondence between“A.A. Headquarters”and A.A. members havetodeclineanyrequestforphotocopyingthat,webelieve, indifferentcitiesaroundtheworld;lettersfromafirstcontact wouldresult inaviolationofU.S.CopyrightLaw.It istherewriting to the office for help and then eventually establishing sponsibility of the person requesting copies toobtain use a group in that city; letters between co-founders Bill W. and rightsfromthecopyrightholderIfapersonmakesarequest Dr. Bob; and letters between Bill W. and A.A. members on for,orlateruses,aphotocopyorreproductionforpurposesin various topics. Those early letters arevital to the collection as they provide infringement. historicalevidence of the growth ofA.A.in many cities.They Originalcorrespondenceandunpublishedmanuscripts containfacts,humorous anecdotes and tragic tales that firmly frequentlycannotbereproducedbecauseof: remind us why our Fellowshipexists.It is thereforeunder- 1.Copyright lawprohibitions orrestrictions; standablewhytherewould be a need for photocopiesof these 2.The need topreserve the anonymityof persons early letters. Such requests are usually forwarded to the trustinaccordwithA.A.sTraditions; ees’Archives Committeefor consideration,and eachrequest 3.Theparties’expectationofprivacy;or is thoughtfullydeliberated and afinal decisionmade that is 4.Thephysical condition. supported by the G.S.O.Archives Photocopying Policy. Occasionally, a final decision is met, with frustration by the Photocopiesofearlypamphletsandothermiscellaneous requestor, either because of misinformation or lack of awarepublicationswillbemadeavailableonlywhenthephysical conditionofthematerialallowsforphotocopying.Thephysi- Where might it be found? These are questions we frequently calcondition,thefragilityoftheitemorthebrittlenessofthe need to address. paper may prevent us from photocopying some of these items. The Archives Photocopying Policy was reexamined and rewrittenbyasubcommitteeoftheArchivesCommittee and MarkingsviaE-mail the revised policy wasadopted bythefullcommittee in October 2011.It reads: Have Markings delivered directly to your e-mail inbox by registering to subscribe at G.S.O.’s A.A. TheGeneralServiceOffceArchiveshasbeenentrustedto Web site, www.aa.org. Markings is also available safeguardthecollectionofhistorical,administrativeandorin Spanish and French. ganizationalrecords of theFellowship,aswell as other his- Mail address:Box 459,Grand Central Station,New York,NY10163·(212)870-3400·www.aa.org

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At the time the Policy was being rewritten, the subcommittee members reviewed a number of similar ones from other archival repositories and libraries around the country. Our Policy addresses copyright concerns, the physical condition of the document, privacy concerns, as well as taking into consideration A.A.’s unique principle of anonymity. Well then, what does all of this have to do with my seemingly simple request for a photocopy of a letter written by the founder of A.A. in my town? Doesn’t this letter belong to my area? The short answer is “no,” and let’s closely examine that word “belong.” The G.S.O. Archives possesses physical or “simple” ownership of these letters; they legally belong to the repository. This means that we can use the letters for research purposes; we may use them for display; we may remove or transfer letters to another repository; we may digitize or photocopy for archiving purposes; and/or we can reproduce portions under “fair use” guidelines. However, and this is the case for most of our personal letters, we do not own the copyrights, which is the other and more significant “ownership” a letter possesses. This means that it would be illegal for us to violate any of the rights belonging to the owner of the copyright, regardless to whether the author is alive or is deceased. The chart below should help you determine the copyright status of unpublished works such as letters, diaries, photographs and other nonliterary “works,” as well as unpublished manuscripts that may exist in your collection. Eventually, a copyright will expire and the formerly protected work will fall into the public domain where it can be used without restriction. Most works that have remained unpublished (letters, diaries, etc.) are subject to basic protection of “life plus 70 years.” For example, co-founder Bill W.’s personal letters will enter the public domain in January 2041. So, we have looked at ownership, both physical and intellectual. However, the other factors outlined in the policy are heavily weighed, particularly ensuring that our members’ privacy and anonymity are maintained. There is an expectation of

privacy when writing to the General Service Office. The authors of the letters would likely never have intended for their works to be made publicly available, as often very personal or sensitive information is shared. Also, we have come across letters where a member has referenced another member in a letter or letters from members who have shared about a member’s relapse or confidential medical history. In other instances, a family member has written to the office seeking help for his/her alcoholic relative, describing the pain and agony felt while the alcoholic relative is likely unaware of the letter. These are just some examples of the personal nature of the letters in the repository. Recently, a member serving on a General Service Board in another country wrote to us requesting a copy of a letter written by that country’s founding member. The original letter resides in the G.S.O. Archives repository. After careful deliberation, the trustees’ Archives Committee agreed to the request and sent a digitized copy of the letter to the board member. How could such a decision be made? In this particular and likely rare situation, permission from the estate (the member’s son) was granted for the copy to be made. For this reason, the committee consented to the duplication of the letter. Of course, all or part of the rights in a work may be transferred by the owner to another individual or archival repository. However, the transfer of exclusive rights is not valid unless that transfer is done with a certain amount of legal formality. For More Information: U.S. Copyright Office www.copyright.gov (202) 707-3000

Copyright and Fair Use Stanford University Libraries http://fairuse.stanford.edu

Note: These sites have been listed for reference only. It does not imply endorsement nor approval of the A.A. General Service Office Archives.

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States of Unpublished Works, January 1, 2012 Works in the public domain in the U.S. as of January 1, 2012

Nature of Work

Copyright Term

Unpublished works.

Life of the author + 70 years.

Works from authors who died before 1942.

Unpublished anonymous and pseudonymous works, and works made for hire (corporate authorship).

120 years from date of creation.

Works created before 1892.

Unpublished works when the death date of the author is not known.

120 years from date of creation.

Works created before 1892.

Page3 Alcoholics Anonymous —- 77 Years June10,2012,markedthe77thAnniversaryofAlcoholicsAnonymous.June10,1935,BillW.handedDrBobadrinktosteadyhisnervesbefore hehadtoperformsurgery.ThatwasDr.Bob’slast drink.Thenthereweretwosoberalcoholics andAlcoholicsAnonymouswasborn. forreadingsfromA.A.literature.andtoreflectontheA.A.messagesofhope.Then,asatanyA.A.Anniversary,thereisthetraditionalcake. InAkronJune1OthiscelebratedasFoundersDay.TheabovephotoofanexhibitcaseinG.S.O.Archivescontainsphotosandothermemorabilia fromAkron.Someofthephotos:Dr.Bobandhiswife,Anne,andtheirhome;theGateHouse;BillwithSisterIgnatia;andthephoneboothand churchdirectoryattheMayflowerHotel.TheFoundersDayexhibitwillbedisplayedthroughthesummer. A few words about co-founder Dr. Bob The Archives staff frequentlyreceives questions about the In1974,an oldtimer from AkrondescribedDr.Bob: “Humility”plaque that was supposedly on Dr.Bob’s desk at “..Dr. Bob was quiet, unassuming, not a great talker in prihisofficeinAkron.Thestatement,whichcanbefoundon vateconversation,butwhathesaiddidcarryalotofweight. page222of thebook,DrBoband theGoodOldtimers,reads: One time when his health had gotten pretty bad, I heard “Perpetual quietness ofheart.It is tohaveno trouble.Itis someoneaskhim‘Doyouhavetogo toall thesemeetings? nevertobefretted orvexedirritableorsore;towonderat Whydon’tyoustayhome andconserveyourstrength?’And nothing that is done tome,tofeelnothing done against Dr.Bobpondered and gavea three-fold answer astowhyhe me.Itis tobe atrest when nobodypraisesme,andwhen wanted to continuetogo to themeetings aslong as God gave I amblamedor despised,it is tohave ablessed home in him the strength.He said,Thefirstreason is that thiswayis myselfwhereI cangoin and shut thedoorandkneelto workingsowell,whyshouldItakeachanceonanyother myFatherinsecretandbeatpeace,asinadeepseaof way?Thesecondreasonisthat Idon’t want todeprivemyself calmness,whenall around and about is seeming trouble. of theprivilege of meeting,greeting andvisitingwithfellow A plaque bearing the“Humility”quote also hangs on a wall alcoholics,it’s a pleasure tome.And the thirdreason isthe oftheArchives of Dr.Bobs house inAkron.However,the locamost important.I belong at that meetingfor the sake of that tionof the original plaque thatwas in his officeis unknown. newmanorwomanwhomightwalkthroughthatdoor. The“Humility”quote is attributed to a SouthAfrican min- Because I am livingproof that A.A.will work as long as isternamedAndrewMurray(1828-1917),whoalsowrotea IworkA.A.AndIoweittothatpersontobethere.I’mthe bookinthe1920stitled,Humility:TheBeauty ofHoliness. livingexample.”

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Archives Workbook Revisions

Annual A.A. Archives Workshop

The newest edition of the Archives Workbook in now available. It features six new Shared Experiences; Tools and Suggested Activities for Archives Committees; and a revised Photocopying Policy. It is available in English, French and Spanish. The workbook can be found online at A.A.’s Web site www.aa.org, or through the Order Entry Department: 1-212-870-3400 or orders@aa.org. M-44I; $2.50.

The National A.A. Archives Workshop affords area and local A.A. archivists an opportunity to share information with each other so as to better fulfill their service commitment. Often boxes were passed down from the previous archivist to the newly appointed or elected archivist. Sometimes these boxes had been in the trunks of cars or stashed in homes. The advice was to take classes or work with a conservator in a museum. This annual workshop covers, among other subjects, instruction or archival techniques such as: restoration, preservation and deacidification. There are hands-on workshops, historical presentations, long-timer panels and keynote speakers who share their experiences on not only our history, but history in general, and offers insights into all areas of archives service. With the development of new technology, new methods of record keeping, cataloging and preserving are explored.

Utah A.A. Finds Uranium Mine Bill W. mentions on page 26 of Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, “…the Utah alkies who dried up in A.A. and struck uranium in the process.”

16th A National AA Arch

Later, Bill W. wrote to Clyde D., who was the executive director of the Utah State Board on Alcoholism, in Salt Lake City, Utah, in April 1954 with more of the story. In his letter, Bill wrote that he was in Syracuse, New York, preparing to give a talk and trying to think of an interesting anecdote. According to Bill, a drunk wrote to the Alcoholic Foundation for a Big Book. After he got sober, he went to Moab to try and help his friend who was the town drunk. He succeeded in sobering him, and a few others, up. The now former town drunk took some pictures of the canyons and scenery of the town in order to entice a railroad company to run through Moab, which had once been a prosperous mining town.

www.aanationalarc

Passing October

Speakers, Presenta and P

16th Annual We are responsible for the history and preserv National AA Archives Workshop Featuring GSO Archivist and Akron Arc www.aanationalarchivesworkshop.com

Workshop contact: Dave W. — Phone 1-386-214-5446 email: naw2 Standard Room Rate of $89.00 1-4 persons – Oceanview, Suites and Hotel Information: International Palms Resort & Conferenc 1300 N. Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, Fl 32931 www.internationalpalms.com 1-800-206-2747 or 321-783-2271 – Gr October 4-7, Room 2012reservations cut-off date is September 2nd, 201

When the film was developed, the former drunk noticed white flecks and markings on the canyon walls and obtained a Geiger counter. The result was uranium, which was the largest and richest uranium strike in the world at that time. The town once again prospered and so did the alcoholics. In his reply to Bill, Clyde wrote, “These facts I do know are true. One of two of the ex-drunks, or A.A.s, did play a major role in the finding of uranium at Moab. The first drunk to get well through the A.A. program has been mayor of the town for the past six years, and is still mayor. Another owns the newspaper, and two or three own uranium mines. In fact, the positions held in that community by A.A. members are such that is would appear if you wanted to be in a high position you must first qualify and then become a member of Alcoholics Anonymous.”

Passing It On

services are from Orlando Airport (M Speakers, Presentations, Shuttle Workshops andavailable Panels

REGISTRATION FORM Please make out to 16th of NAAAW & mail to: 728 W We are responsible for the history andyour check preservation Please Print A.A. Featuring G.S.O. Archivist and Akron Archivist Name: ______________________________________________ Name on badge: _____

Service Position: __________________________________________ Area #: ________

Workshop contact:

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ServiceRoom Position: Rate of $89.00 1-4 __________________________________________ Area #: ________ Standard persons

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International Palms Resort & Conference CenterSpecial Needs:  ASL  Interpre  $75 Registration/Banquet/FREE Travel Mug 1300 N. Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931  $35 Registration – Includes participation in all events Thursday through Sunday (except meals & ice cream www.internationalpalms.com  $40 Saturday Banquet & Keynote Presentation Please Indicate:  Beef  Chicken  Vegeta 1-800-206-2747 or 321-783-2271 — Group Code – NAW

Bill recounts his version of the story to which Clyde replies, “In attempting to recount the actual story as given me by some of the Moab boys, I find some of the points to be a little hazy in my mind. However, I do believe that either one of us is too far off on the story.”

 $5 Travel Mug

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Supported by the NFAC Area 14, NFAC Archivist, NFAC Archives Service Coordinator

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