Copyright: National Library of Medicine (NLM)

Download Rules

Downloading Small Amounts of NLM produced Data for Redistribution

The following use of data from MEDLINE® and other non-royalty NLM produced databases requires no written permission from or signed license agreement with NLM:

Users may download small amounts of data, e.g., the bibliographic citation and MeSH terms, for a small number of citations from NLM produced databases online at DIMDI either via a printed publication or in electronic form using the Internet, World Wide Web, etc.

Definitions:

1. Download includes ftping results of an online search, arranging for the results of an automatic stored search to be available for ftp, ftping NLM produced data from the NLM server, or a traditional download.
2. Small is defined as approximately 1,000 records per month from MEDLINE; 12,000 per year. Retrospective pulls of MEDLINE may include up to approximately 12,000 records for each year covered. For other NLM produced databases, fewer than 25% of the records in the file may be downloaded, except for AIDSLINE®, which may be downloaded in their entirety. For larger portions of a NLM produced database, please refer to the NLM licensing material which is available from NLM's website.
   Leasing Data from the National Library of Medicine.
3. Data is defined as bibliographic citations and MeSH terms. This document grants permission to download only the bibliographic citations and MeSH terms; it does not cover the author abstracts from the journals which are included in MEDLINE and other NLM produced databases. Users should obtain an opinion from their legal counsel for any use they plan for the author-generated abstracts in the NLM produced databases.

Terms and Conditions:

1.  Most NLM databases may be searched and records displayed at no cost from DIMDI's website. An access code is not required. Usage reports are not required and there is no foreign surcharge on foreign users' subsequent use of the downloaded data. Downloading is allowed for holders of valid user codes under the above conditions.
   DIMDI SmartSearch - Access without contract -> select Medline Direct.
2.  Although a signed license agreement is not needed, users must ensure that all downloaded publicly accessible data stored in electronic form for over one year must be in compliance with the following provisions of the NLM license agreement:
   
   a. Users of these data must be provided a clear description of how the product/service was derived, indicating the currency and the source database.
   b. At least annually, the data in the downloaded product/service containing searchable MEDLINE-derived data must be corrected to incorporate the corrections NLM has made to these records during the year and in year-end maintenance. NLM produced data in the product/service must be carefully checked with that maintained on NLM's version of the database at the end of each calendar year and corrections made. This does not apply to products/services containing MEDLINE-derived data which itself is not searchable (e.g., MEDLINE-derived references and abstracts in the bibliography of an electronic textbook). The MEDLINE-derived data should be updated when a new edition of the product is released. In this case, users should be informed that the MEDLINE-derived data may change.
   c. Users are advised to consult legal counsel to ensure compliance with intellectual property laws. NLM cannot provide advice about copyright issues.
   d. Because NLM goes to considerable effort to assign MeSH terms, it prefers that these be retained as assigned by the indexers.
   e. The NLM record (or portion thereof) in the product/service must be labeled so as to identify NLM as the source, except for data derived from CATLINE® or SERLINE®.
   f. Trademark symbols must properly be used when referring to the NLM databases, system and products. A product/service using downloaded data must be named in a fashion that clearly distinguishes it from NLM-produced databases accessible at DIMDI.
   National Library of Medicine Trademarks

Leasing of NLM data

NLM databases, including MEDLINE, are available for lease on magnetic tapes. Search software is not included when leasing data. For most databases there is an annual fee for receipt of the data. There are no use charges. Interested parties should obtain a copy of the License packet. A print copy of the license packet can be obtained by sending an e-mail request with your mailing address to mms@nlm.nih.gov. NLM does not lease MEDLINE to individuals/organizations outside the United States except to its formally recognized International MEDLARS Centers. The center nearest to you can provide you with access information.
International MEDLARS Centers

As an alternative to leasing its data, NLM permits downloading small amounts of NLM data for redistribution (approximately 1,000 MEDLINE records per month; 12,000 per year of publication; and fewer than 25% of all records for other databases) under certain conditions.
Copyright Information & Downloading National Library of Medicine Data

Copyright Rules

Information on Copyright for Author-Generated Abstracts

Prospective licensees and those considering downloading data for redistribution should obtain opinion from legal counsel for any use planned for the author-generated abstracts in NLM databases and to ensure compliance with intellectual property laws. NLM cannot provide advice about copyright issues. Some material in the NLM databases is from copyrighted publications of the respective copyright claimants. Users of the NLM databases are solely responsible for compliance with any copyright restrictions and are referred to the publication data appearing in the bibliographic citations, as well as to the copyright notices appearing in the original publications, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Those who search NLM produced databases may download for personal use and may provide others with a single copy of downloaded data.