Preface
The Urantia Foundation is required by its Declaration of Trust to perform
a number of very important duties. It must promote, disseminate and expand
among the peoples of the world the principles, teachings and doctrines
of The Urantia Book. In doing so it must preserve inviolate the text of
The Urantia Book, a duty the Declaration of Trust describes as "primary."
In encouraging and stimulating study and discussion of The Urantia Book,
the Foundation believes that The Urantia Book should be used in its entirety.
No one part takes precedence, and the respective parts are closely interrelated.
However, the size and scope of The Urantia Book occasionally require that
only portions be reproduced and used. In keeping with its "primary"
duty to preserve the text of The Urantia Book, the Foundation has the responsibility,
under the Copyright Laws to control reproduction of portions of the text.
Without reasonable controls the Foundation risks losing its copyright ownership
and also risks the eventual destruction of the integrity of the text.
Such a loss, the Foundation believes, would undermine efforts of the
Foundation and Urantia Brotherhood to disseminate the teachings, and would
seriously threaten public access to The Urantia Book text in the precise
form in which it was presented. The guidelines are intended to balance
the legal requirements with the spiritual objectives of the Foundation.
The Foundation urges understanding compliance with the guidelines for the
sake of The Urantia Book and its followers, past, present and future.
Scope of Guidelines
No attempt is made to cover every conceivable use of portions of The
Urantia Book. However, certain general guidelines are offered to cover
a number of situations. When there is doubt about the interpretation and/or
use of these guidelines, Urantia Foundation invites your inquiry.
Fair Use Under Certain Circumstances
Copyright Law permits "fair use" of a copyrighted work, such
as for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple
copies for classroom use), scholarship or research. In determining whether
a particular use falls within "fair use" the courts consider
the purpose and character of the use (including whether it is commercial
or for nonprofit educational purposes), the nature of the copyrighted work,
the amount of the portion used in relation to the whole, and the effect
of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
There is no easy definition of what constitutes "fair use" and
each situation must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with reference
not only to the Copyright Statute but also to the case law which has been
decided over a period of many decades.
Copyright Notice
The copyright notice is an essential part of legal protection. It notifies
the public that a particular work is copyrighted, and that it may not be
reproduced without permission. Any written, pictorial, or recorded reproduction,
whether verbatim copying or a paraphrase, of any portion of The Urantia
Book must be accompanied by the following copyright notice: "(c) 1955
Urantia Foundation. All Rights Reserved." If the reproduction is written,
the notice should be legible and placed on the title page of the reproduction.
It may be handwritten, typed or printed. If the presentation is pictorial,
the notice should be legible and placed on the face of the presentation.
It may be handwritten, typed or printed. If the presentation is an oral
one that is simultaneously taped or video recorded, the notice should be
read at the beginning of the oral presentation. Written notice should then
be affixed on the permanent container of the taped recording and on the
first frame of a video recording. The notice should be legible and may
be handwritten, typed or printed.
Permission and Disclaimer Statement
In addition to the requisite display of the copyright notice, Urantia
Foundation requires in certain specified instances below that those who
use material from The Urantia Book also include the immediately following
Permission and Disclaimer Statement. Where the use of this Permission and
Disclaimer Statement is not required, Urantia Foundation suggests that
it nevertheless be used. "The material used herein from The Urantia
Book is used by permission. Any artistic representation(s), interpretation(s),
opinion(s), and/or conclusion(s)- whether stated or implied--are those
of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Urantia
Foundation (or Urantia Brotherhood or any of its affiliated Societies.)"
The form and placement of the Permission and Disclaimer Statement should
agree with the foregoing instructions for the form and placement of the
copyright notice.
Permitted Uses
The following uses are "Permitted Uses" either as a result
of falling within fair use guidelines or specifically being granted herein
by Urantia Foundation. Members of the general public whether members of
Urantia Brotherhood or not may without written permission from the Foundation
reproduce and otherwise use materials from The Urantia Book (accompanied
by the foregoing copyright notice) as follows:
- (a) PERSON-TO-PERSON NON-PUBLIC CONTACTS: Readers may share the teachings
of The Urantia Book with others on a person-to-person non-public basis
by reading aloud and discussing the teachings without limitation. "Non-public"
shall be defined as a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances.
Readers may use up to 500 words in a written or recorded presentation;
however, such uses are limited to purposes of analysis, illustration and
explanation, in criticism, review, reporting and teaching, and all written
or recorded copies must display copyright notice. If copies of a quoted
portion are distributed, the number of copies distributed shall not exceed
the number of persons in attendance at any meeting of a family and its
social acquaintances. In addition, readers may use material from The Urantia
Book in multi-media presentations, including diagrams, posters, charts,
transparencies, slides or films; however, all materials must display copyright
notice and such works must be limited to oral use and visual portrayal
of not more than 500 words in total for all presentations at one event
unless advance permission is obtained. Such uses are limited to purposes
of analysis, illustration and explanation in criticism, review, reporting
and teaching.
- (b) NON-PROFIT PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS BEFORE CHURCH GROUPS AND SERVICE
CLUBS, NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF STUDY PER SE BUT FOR A REVIEW OR MENTION
OF THE Urantia BOOK: Readers may read aloud from The Urantia BOOK without
limitation only:
- (1) at a place of worship or other religious assembly during the course
of service or
- (2) at a non-profit performance, non-profit being judged-by whether
the purpose of the performance is either directly or indirectly given for
commercial advantage and whether any fee or other compensation for the
performance is given to any of the performers, promoters or organizers
of the event. The Urantia Foundation reserves its statutory right to prohibit
any such performance for which there is a direct or indirect admission
charge. Under all other circumstances, up to 500 words may be read aloud
from The Urantia Book, and up to 500 words in total may be used in printed
or recorded materials. These uses of up to 500 words are limited to purposes
of analysis, illustration, and explanation in criticism, review, reporting
and teaching. All copies of printed or recorded material--both visual and
oral--must display the copyright notice. The number of copies distributed
shall not exceed the number of persons in attendance. In addition, readers
may use material from The Urantia Book in multi-media presentations, including
diagrams, posters, charts, transparencies, slides or films; however, all
materials must display copyright notice and such works must be limited
to oral use and visual portrayal of not more than 500 words in total for
all presentations at one event unless advance permission is obtained. Such
uses of up to 500 words are limited to purposes of analysis, illustration
and explanation in criticism, review, reporting and teaching.
- (c) STUDY GROUP MEETINGS, Urantia BROTHERHOOD AND Urantia SOCIETY MEETINGS
AND CONFERENCES, NEWSLETTERS AND BONA FIDE SCHOOLS:
- (1) Study Group Meetings, Urantia Brotherhood and Urantia Society Meetings
and Conferences.
- (a) Reading aloud and discussing materials in The Urantia Book other
than in bona fide schools (see below): readers may read aloud and present
recorded oral presentations from The Urantia Book without limitation. If,
however, printed copies of the portions read are to be distributed to those
persons in attendance, advance permission must be obtained where the quotation
exceeds 500 words in total. In any event, copyright notice must be placed
on each copy distributed.
- (b) Distributing printed matter: Readers may distribute up to 500 words,
in total, in printed materials (in addition to the words counted in printed
copies of portions. read aloud described in (c)(l)(a) above) for use by
persons in attendance at independent Study Group meetings, and at Urantia
Society Meetings, and conferences, workshops and any such like events which
are sponsored by Urantia Societies, Urantia Brotherhood or Urantia Foundation.
In no event may the number of copies made or distributed exceed the number
of persons present at such event. All copies must display copyright notice
and the Permission and Disclaimer Statement.
- (c) Multi-media Presentations: Readers may illustrate the concepts
of The Urantia Book in multi-media presentations. These may include diagrams,
posters, charts, transparencies, slides or films. All such materials must
display the copyright notice and the Permission and Disclaimer Statement.
Display of these materials is limited to those events described in (c)(l)(b)
above. Advance permission must be obtained if more than 500 words in total
for each presentation are to be copied from The Urantia Book.
- (d) Dramatic Presentations: Readers may use material from The Urantia
Book as the subject of dramatic presentations, including songs, poetry
and skits, that are fixed in written or taped form prior to, contemporaneously
with, or after oral presentation. Direct quotations for these purposes
are limited to 500 words in total. The Copyright Notice and the Permission
and Disclaimer Statement should be used. If the dramatic presentation is
an extemporaneous one that is not and will not be fixed in written or taped
form, readers may use material from The Urantia Book without limitation.
- (2) Newsletters: Readers may use material from The Urantia Book in
newsletters. Up to 500 words in total per article per issue may be used
if the copyright notice is printed on each copy. It is suggested, in the
interests of clarity and conservation of space, that each quotation be
"keyed" by use of an asterisk (*), or other similar notation,
to a clearly defined area of the newsletter where the copyright notice
and Permission and Disclaimer Statement shall be affixed. The Permission
and Disclaimer Statement must be used in conjunction with all newsletter
usage's of material from The Urantia Book.
- (3) Schools: It is not possible here fully to define what constitutes
a school and what does not. The idea of a school. however, does contemplate
non-profit teaching activities including systematic instruction combined
with an established curriculum. In the event the institution qualifies
as a bona fide non-profit school, readers may read aloud from The Urantia
Book and conduct performances based thereon without limitation when the
use is for educational purposes in a classroom setting. Distribution of
printed copies containing material from The Urantia Book may be made provided
the number of copies distributed are for discussion purposes and do not
exceed one copy per person in attendance, the number of words does not
exceed 1000 words, distribution of copies does not occur more than two
times per class in a single semester and the Copyright Notice and Permission
and Disclaimer Statement are affixed to each copy. However, in any event,
the use must be spontaneous, i.e., occur at the inspiration of the individual
teacher or leader, with the inspiration and decision to use the work so
close in time that it would be unreasonable to expect the teacher or leader
to be able to make a timely request for permission. In no event shall such
copying be permitted, however, if it is a substitution for the purchase
of copies of The Urantia Book.
Uses Exceeding Permitted Uses
The Foundation encourages use and dissemination of The Urantia Book
in its entirety. Therefore, permissions exceeding those stated above will
be granted only in limited circumstances. Requests for permission exceeding
these guidelines should be submitted well in advance of the time of proposed
use to Urantia Foundation, 533 Diversey Parkway, Chicago, Illinois 60614,
U.S.A. in writing, together with a description of the proposed use, the
purpose of the use, and a description of the audience to which the use
will be directed
Non-Permitted Uses
Neither The Urantia Book nor any portion may be used for commercial
exploitation. For purposes of illustration, and not by way of limitation,
permission will not be granted to use materials from The Urantia Book:
- (a) as inscriptions on any part of greeting cards, post cards or like
material.
- (b) as slogans or inscriptions on T-shirts or other articles of apparel,
bumper stickers, posters (other than as permitted above), jewelry, printed
buttons, or any novelty items.
- (c) as slogans or inscriptions on envelopes, rubber stamps, book marks,
letterheads, business cards, or any items of stationery.
- (d) in any form or manner on any merchandise either offered for sale
or to be presented as gifts or awards for commercial or personal use.
Reserved Right to Rescind
The foregoing Permitted Uses are to be considered a grant of use pursuant
to a revocable license to the extent the use of materials from The Urantia
Book exceeds that permitted by the doctrine of fair use, and all who avail
themselves of Permitted Uses hereunder by their respective use or uses
agree to cease any Permitted Use (to the extent it is not a fair use) if
so requested by Urantia Foundation and to otherwise comply with these guidelines
as they may exist from time to time. Urantia Foundation reserves the right
not only to interpret but also to alter, amend, rescind or supplement these
guidelines at any time in whole or in part without notice. The Urantia
Foundation is the sole owner of all right, title and interest in and to
all copyright claims of The Urantia Book. The foregoing Copyright Permission
Guidelines do not constitute an abridgment, surrender or relinquishment
of all or any part of such claim of ownership and its attendant rights.
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