Open Data – Information for Those Wishing to Use Our Open Data
Using Free UK Genealogy transcriptions
We are about to begin sharing our Open Data.
To be kept informed, please register your interest with us – info@freeukgenealogy.org.uk. Please ensure that you have understood your obligations as the recipient of Open Data under Open Database Licence 1.0 (please see FAQ below for common questions).
It is our intention to share data as it becomes available, with updates/corrections from time to time, via a secure server. We will need to allocate volunteer and staff time to create these resources. We will be prioritising requests on the basis of a number of factors, reflecting our charitable objectives. Our objectives could be met in part by requests that will create resources that are of especial use to family historians, promote open data, or which are free to use by everyone, forever. Secondary considerations will be the order in which we receive requests, and the general charitable or educational purpose (if outside our objectives).
Where additional processing is needed to provide the data (for example, to extract or to manipulate into a specified format) we may need to charge for our time.
We also intend to develop an API which will enable faster access to the latest data – use of this service will be subject to a usage fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I have another database which I want to combine with this database, but I can’t or don’t want to release the whole under the ODbL. How can I do this?
A. Let us know, and we may be able to negotiate a suitable licence.
Q. I have another database licensed under ODbL1.0, and want to combine it with this one. Can I convey the result?
A. Yes, no problem.
Q. I am a member of a group which researches genealogy in our own time as a hobby. We want to be able to add our own entries to the database, combine it with other databases, and circulate the database as amended around the group without unnecessary restrictions. Can I do this?
A. Yes. The ODbL 1.0 licence allows for any use. If you have difficulty understanding how to apply the terms of the licence, please get in touch. Note, if you combine the database with databases under different licences, you will still have to comply with those different licences.
We will use real-life experiences to expand this FAQ to better support those with queries.
