Re: AIS Copyrighted Material

["Robert Pries " <robertpries@embarqmail.com>]

I believe I am the chair of the copyright committee, But I was not consulted about this incident before legal action was taken. I feel we blew badly an opportunity to get our name and mission out to a large number of people. As I understand it, Lakewood copied the text from basic Iris Culture concerning the Japanese Irises. Surely if we would have written a nice letter about how we can help them by allowing the use of our materials they would reciprocate with an added paragraph that gave information about AIS and the SJI and how our societies can give added advice to new Japanese growers. But by instantly going on the offensive we destroyed that huge marketing possibility. 
As PR chair I do not mind answering questions about copyright and feel especially annoyed that I was not given the courtesy of being consulted. If you do not want a committee for copyright than it is your prerogative to disband it. If you do not want someone specializing in public relations do so also. If PR, Marketing and Copyright are not consulted than there is no point having these offices. 
I am not in favor of giving away the store. But I am in favor of consultation with more than one person. Not every issue needs to become a legal matter. Public relations is the step before legal action.

----- Original Message -----
From: MORRISJE1@aol.com
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Cc: vjohnson@howardandjohnsonlaw.com
Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 12:53:42 PM
Subject: [AISdiscuss] AIS Copyrighted Material

All,

The American Iris Society has much information and data that is
copyrighted.  We have recently sent a "cease and desist" letter from our
Legal
Counsel to Longfield Gardens, LLC, Lakewood, NJ for unauthorized use of  AIS
copyrighted material with iris sales packages at a COSTCO in  California.

In addition, various members of AIS have received requests to use and
reproduce AIS copyrighted materials.  My questions to the Board are:   Who
should be designated to give approval to use our materials?  Should we  have
an
internal approval process or not?  I don't believe just "anyone" or  everyone
should have such authority.  Should the approval point be the  President
and Legal Counsel or the Public Relations Chairman?  Most of  you know that I
already have plenty on my plate.  As an example I just  received a request
from Missouri Botanical Garden where Jean and  I volunteer as follows:

Jim,
I plan on  uploading the iris images I have taken into the gardenbs (MOBOT)
database which will be accessible to the  public.  Each taxon has a field
to describe the plant.  I want to  propose to plant records that we put the
iris registry information in that  field.  First I would need permission to
use the AIS copyrighted  information from someone within the organization.
Who should I  contact?
Gary
Your opinions and quick feedback  would be appreciated.

Jim Morris
President
American Iris  Society

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