www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Anyone with a Mohila Sluzhebnik?

CIX!

If someone out there has (access to) a copy of the Sluzhebnik of St. Peter Mohila, can you contact me please? I need a photocopy of the special petitions that are "For Sending Out Brethren to Preach the Gospel."

Thanks!

Dave

So buy a copy - the 1639 edition is available from Eastern Christian publications (and that's the first edition which gave the extra votive services that you're looking for).

Incognitus

Incognitus, it might be easy for YOU to buy one; I am but a poor college student. As much as I'd love to buy one, I cannot afford the several hundred dollars for the simple cloth-bound reprint (forget the leather-bound one). Paying someone a few dollars for photocopies is much more in my price range. And, right now, I am more concerned with raising the necessary funds for my OCMC trip to Cluj (the mission trip being the reason why I'd like the prayers composed by the great Kievan hierarch). If I was at school, I'd try and get the Sluzhebnik on interlibrary loan again, but that takes too long, and time is of the essence!

Dave

I'm not Mr. Gotbucks either, I can assure you. But if enough people make (illegal) photocopies, the supply of books to photocopy will dry up. So buy the book.

Incognitus

Were you one of those anti-Napster people too? :p

Dave

It doesn't look as though he's requesting a photocopy of the entire book, which WOULD be illegal - just of a certain portion of it. It's not illegal to photocopy a few pages from a book for study purposes - if it were, every librarian in the country would be behind bars.*

(and to forestall the obvious joke here, yes, I'm sure most of them already are, after hours. )

Exactly, I am only looking for photocopies of those certain pages of the Sluzhebnik. If someone would rather send them to me already translated into English, that would be fine too!

Dave

Dear David,

What's an anti-Napster person?

You write that "I am only looking for photocopies of those certain pages of the Sluzhebnik. If someone would rather send them to me already translated into English, that would be fine too!"

Funnily enough, although making an illegal photocopy (which it would be if made without permission) is deplorable and morally questionable, the same does not apply to a translation - you are certainly free to translate the material, and so is everybody else.

But here are two practical suggestions for you:

a) try to convince whatever college or university you are enrolled in to buy a copy of the book for the library, and

b) get in touch with of Eastern Christian Publications and ask them for permission to photocopy the pages you need - they might faint from shock, but they might also give you the permission; it's worth a try.

Incognitus

Actually, what Dave is asking for is not illegal in the slightest. Presumably, it is for personal use, will not be republished, and he is only asking for a small portion of the text in question.

As a librarian, we are drilled and drilled on proper "Fair Use" of photocopy machines and the limits of copyright. What Dave is asking for, and its presumed use, falls under Fair Use provisions.

I also wonder what the actual copyright information is on a text that is almost 400 years old. Of course, one cannot know unless one checks the title page of the publication in question.

Dave,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

There is an online version of the Sluzebnik at the Patronage of God (Baltimore) site:
http://www.patronagechurch.com/Sluzebnik/index.htm

Hope this helps,

Deacon El

Mickey wonders "what the actual copyright information is on a text that is almost 400 years old. Of course, one cannot know unless one checks the title page of the publication in question". It is safe to assume that on the text itself, the copyright has expired. However, that does NOT apply to a facsimile reprint.

So if you can find an original Mohyla Leitourgiarion and the owner is willing to let you make a photocopy, the publishers of the facsimile would have no cause to complain. By the way, remember that it's printed in black-and-red, so you will need a color photocopy of each page.

I'm not sure where in North America there might be an original in a location where the owner(s) are willing to allow photocopies. You might try the Rare Book Room of Robarts Library in Toronto.

Incognitus

It largely depends on the facsimile edition itself and if the publishers decided to actually copyright that particular facsimile.

Regardless, Dave is breaking no copyright law by requesting photocopies of a few pages for private use. If he were to publish the material, either in print or on the Web, he would be, of course. But for private use, either devotional or scholarly, there is no issue.

Speaking as another librarian, Mikey is correct.

Let me describe my situation:

This summer, I am going on a mission trip with OCMC to the area of Cluj, Romania.

A few days defore I leave, we will be having a Moleben at my parish.

Primarily, the Moleben will be for safe travel, but having seen the petitions for "Sending Forth Brethren to Preach the Gospel" in the Mohila Sluzhebnik, I thought that these petitions might be suitable to include, too.

I am merely looking for someone to photocopy (black and white, no color!) the few pages of text which I will then pass along to someone else for translation.

I will not be reselling this text, republishing this text, or anything similar: it is for liturgical translation purposes only!

Dave

Incognitus' suggetion to Dave:

"Try to convince whatever college or university you are enrolled in to buy a copy of the book for the library"

Believe it or not, this works very well, especially if two or more people make the same request (you can ask your alter ego).

I.F.