The thesaurus as database and its protection

Abstract

In the field of information sciences there are search tools, such as thesauri, that are not protected by a copyright notice. However, the main issue, as presented in this paper, is part of a wider context. In fact, law n. 663 of 1941 is not always applicable to new
technologies and the latest methods of digital communication. Moreover, there are some limits to the free dissemination of (digital) intellectual products. This puts our scientific community in a conflicting position with the principle of Open Access that aims at enhancing the dissemination of scientific production on an international scale. In this sense, while waiting for a more modern and appropriate legislative framework, it is necessary to evaluate which, among the free licenses currently in use, can protect the scientific work that underlies the creation of intellectual objects, such as a thesaurus, without jeopardizing the principle of accessibility.