Copyright

ASTM International

Helping you to understand the related issues

The electronic age of information distribution has

contributed greatly to making standards information

more visible, more accessible, and thus more viable in

the world marketplace. Electronic technology and the

Internet have also contributed to a new set of questions

about copyright. A majority of the questions are a result

of a lack of understanding about copyright and the terms

and conditions associated with copyrighted materials. This

brochure will assist you in understanding ASTM’s practices,

policies and procedures for its copyrighted materials.

For ASTM, the 12,000 standards we publish are considered our most important asset. Therefore, we have established a priority of working with our government and industry partners to assist them in educating others regarding copyright issues rather than initially taking punitive measures.

ASTM funds its operations and standards developing activities with revenues derived from the sales of its standards. We strive to protect the revenue income in order to continue updating and producing “best in class” standards and maintaining reasonable pricing world wide. This is in the interest of ASTM and the businesses and governments all over the world that use ASTM standards to improve safety, health and the environment, enhance quality and reliability and conduct business worldwide.

Copyright is the right granted to an author or publisher for exclusive publication, production and reproduction, sale, or distribution of his/her work. As copyright owner of all ASTM standards, test methods, and its other published information products, ASTM can elect to set pricing, establish rules on use including printing, can develop business models, and can determine which business partners and reseller channels it wishes to employ.

You may acquire ASTM products by two very different business models.

w Purchase them outright or,

w Purchase a subscription that is effective for a specific time period and includes certain additional rights per the established license agreement.

Product purchased outright

Examples of purchased products range from

single standards provided in paper or from a PDF

download purchased over the web, to individual

Book of Standards volumes in print form or CD, to

the entire section or set of ASTM standards on CD.

Reproduction rights for purchased products are

extremely limited; users should be aware:

1. A print version of a standard may not be further reproduced on a copy machine, or scanned and reproduced in electronic format (such as attaching to email or placing on a network server).

2. For electronic versions of standards (PDF copies purchased via an authorized website), the PDF may reside on the PC of the user who made the purchase for unlimited viewing use, and the same user is allowed to make one hardcopy print from any local printer attached to that same PC

The user is not allowed to:

w make unlimited print copies off that PDF,

w send the standard electronically to other persons via email as an attachment,

w place the PDF standard on any network server.

The rules of usage and printing are slightly different for products that are purchased as part of a subscription based arrangement.

Products purchased by subscription

Subscriptions are time based (normally one year),

include updates, and include license agreements

that provide more flexibility with regard to

authorized print use and networking. Examples

of subscription products in electronic format

range from custom groupings of standards and

prepackaged groupings of standards to sections

and the complete set of ASTMs on either CD/DVD

or provided online over the Internet.

Subscription products are offered in two formats.

w One for use on a single designated PC, and

w One which is for use over a specified network (either a LAN or WAN).

Reproduction and use rights for standards provided as part of a subscription agreement include:

1. The user may make a print reproduction from the electronic product for his/her own personal use but shall not further reproduce that copy or distribute such to other parties.

2. If the subscription is licensed for a single PC, there is no restriction as to the number of employees who may access the designated PC or make individual print copies from the product for his/her own personal use, however, no further reproduction or distribution (to others) of that print is permitted.

3. If the subscription is licensed for a single PC, “electronic sharing”, i.e. downloading e-copies and sending as email attachments or other forms of networking are not authorized.

4. If the subscription is licensed for a network which would provide desktop access to a number of users, those authorized users are allowed unlimited view access to the standards as well as the right to make print reproductions for their own personal use, but again, are not allowed to engage in electronic sharing or distribution to other parties.

ASTM International Headquarters:John Pace

Vice President, Publications and MarketingASTM International Headquarters

100 Barr Harbor DrivePO Box C700

West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959USA

Phone: +1-610-832-9718Fax: +1-610-832-9599

ASTM International Headquarters:

Teresa CendrowskaVice President, Global CooperationASTM International Headquarters

100 Barr Harbor DrivePO Box C700

West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959USA

Phone: +1-610-832-9718Fax: +1-610-832-9599

ASTM International Mexico City Office:

Luis OrdonezC/O Efiterm SA de CV

PolancoCalderon de la Barca #358-302

Mexico CP 11550Mexico

Tel: 52 55 8589-9832

ASTM International Beijing Office:Liu Fei, Chief Representative

Suite 1907, East Tower, Twin Towers, B-12 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing, PRC 100022

Tel: 86 10 5109-6033Fax: 86 10 5109-6039

It is not correct to assume that information posted on the Internet is public domain and can be used without permission from the owner/publisher.

It is also not acceptable to download ASTM standards made available as part of other file sharing websites. ASTM does not recognize such sites nor authorize its documents to reside on such sites. Unless an ASTM standard is purchased directly from the ASTM website, or is provided by an authorized business partner or commercial reseller (which would include a purchase fee), no ASTM materials are allowed to be delivered, downloaded, or shared over the public Internet.

Translations

A more recent copyright violation relates to translation and sharing of translations. A translation of an ASTM document represents a reproduction of the ASTM material, even if it is in a different language. Translation of ASTM standards requires formal authorization and licensing permission. ASTM has business models to address the needs and requests of customers and members who wish to translate and reproduce such translations. Questions about authorized translations can be directed to ASTM office.

ASTM welcomes any questions from its worldwide customers and members relating to copyright and proper use of its copyrighted properties. If there is ever a concern as to whether any use or reproduction is authorized, it is always best to check with us directly.