Serendipity Bible Notes (Group Questions)
Any chance we can get this in Logos? I first heard of it recently, but it is a Bible with small group questions for every section of the Old and New Testament. Just glancing through, it looks incredibly useful for small group leaders, and it doesn't appear to leave large gaps with no content for the tougher portions of scripture. It would be awesome just to get the study notes (small group questions) portion for leading groups. This would be really handy on the phone or ipad app because the actual book is pretty hefty. Would anyone else be interested in something like this?
Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Serendipity-Bible-Personal-Small-Group/dp/0310937337/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354751922&sr=8-1&keywords=serendipity+bible
Comments
- We are not needing the entire work, only the discussion questions on the margins. In other words, we don't need the entire text of the NIV Bible itself, that can be found elsewhere. We are just interested in the discussion questions part of it.
- As far as distribution goes, I would recommend that you distribute it by uploading it to the documents section of a Faithlife group. That way, not just anybody browsing the forums could gain access to it. It would only be accessible to those who create a Faithlife account and join that particular group to gain access to the document(s) of that group.
- I did my best to contact Zondervan for you and I already sent their response. When I talked with them on the phone about it they made it sound like it wasn't a problem at all and that you should be able to proceed. You don't seem to be satisfied with this, however. I sent you all the information to contact them yourself if you were not satisfied with the work I did. Has anything come of that? What has your interaction with them resulted in?
- Your 'partial-copy' argument does not apply since two separate copyrights cover this material: the NIV text has a separate copyright from the margin questions which are covered under a separate 'Serendipity House' copyright. I would be providing the FULL Serendipity House copyrighted material.
- This is a good idea. I'm convinced. See below.
- While I appreciate your efforts, the Zondervan paperwork you sent to me did not seem to be applicable. It was a request to re-print a very small portion of the complete work, as one would do when quoting a few paragraphs within a separate published work.
I have used some of the serendipity material and liked it. I didn't have this one, but I do have the student version of it. I agree it would be good… I don't know how likely it would be. I know that Serendipity has changed hands many times… I'm not sure who owns it now.
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I have a copy of the Catholic edition and would think it would be a wonderful addition to logos.
dan
If you do get it, please try to get both the NIV and NAB versions. I know the Catholic edition has gone out of print but it would be a valuable edition to Verbum Libraries.
-Dan
I, too, have used this resource for many (25) years. Last year I scanned and converted the full 1989 Serendipity Bible 'Second Edition' margin questions to MS Word and then to a Logos Personal Book, with correct milestones to synchronize with any Bible resource when used in Logos. I have used it frequently for over a year now and it appears to be nearly error-free.
If someone can assist me in obtaining copyright permission to distribute this item, I will do so. Unfortunately, the original copyright holder 'Serendipity House' has been disolved. My guess is that Zondervan holds the current copyright.
I am hesitant to forward a full copy to anyone without formal copyright permission. I have been developing computer software for 50 years and have been the victim of major software theft several times. Therefore I have sympathies for the copyright holder as well as a healthy respect for liability. I'm really not being difficult, just want to do this the correct way. Don.
I am hesitant to forward a full copy to anyone without formal copyright permission. I have been developing computer software for 50 years and have been the victim of major software theft several times. Therefore I have sympathies for the copyright holder as well as a healthy respect for liability. I'm really not being difficult, just want to do this the correct way. Don.
Don, how else can we help you? I understand where you're coming from, but I think there should be an easy solution. Here are some thoughts I'd like for you to consider and I would like your feedback on.
Thanks for you thoughts and time on this. I am really hoping that your work can be a blessing to many.
Tim,
I, too, am anxious for this incredible resource to be available for more widespread use. I consider the Serendipity Bible as break-through material.: it equips a novice to lead a small-group Bible study on any book of the Bible. However, I don't think you truly appreciate my copyright infringement considerations.
My original post here was to generate sufficient interest that someone would 'grease' the skids to formal permission from Zondervan. You moved in that direction. I think that I will proceed with a Biblical book or two using the 'Faithlife group documents' method you note. I'll try to get smarter over the next few days then post one book of the Bible. Any specific book request?
I don't want to give up on this distribution, but fully respect copyright protection.
Don Kolafa.
Do you think Logos could provide any assistance in this process?
Also, Don, if we can individually demonstrate that we own a copy (or multiple copies!) of Bibles with the study notes in them would you consider distributing them directly?
I personally have shared copyright works i have inputed for my own personal use with others i know have them in Hard copy. However this is not fair use like you have with DVD and CD's. Because most every copyright page expressly forbids you to enter it into an electronic device. Don's placing it in a device for his own personal use is technically an illegal in and of itself. I own both the NIV version and the Catholic NAB version and would love the questions, but the truth of the matter is even if we own a hundred physical copies it would never be legal for us to have a electronic copy. That said in practice I do not see a publisher ever going after an end user inputing it for their own private usage despite the fact they are breaking copyright law, especially when there is no possible source for the purchase of an electronic copy.
-Dan
I am trying to follow the discussion. Has Zondervan been contacted? Are they willing to create an electronic version? That would be really cool to have it in Logos. Then I don't need to carry around this bible and a Dutch one.
Yes Patrick, I personally contacted Zondervan about this. I sent this information to Don privately, but perhaps if I post it here the rest of you can help us get to the bottom of it. I tried to get the ball rolling on this, perhaps someone else can pick up where I left off? Don has asked for our help on this.
Zondervan doesn't seem to have plans for a digital version at the moment. I can't speak for Logos. The gentleman I spoke with at Zondervan told me that if we are wanting to distribute it electronically in a small group setting (which is kinda what I’m thinking it would be considered if you do it through a Faithlife group under the documents section) then that shouldn’t be a problem, and that we shouldn't even need to ask for permission.
However, if we want to obtain more official permission directly from Zondervan, he gave me this link to a form we would have to fill out requesting permission. It looks kinda like a complicated process that says it could take up to 6-8 weeks turnaround time. Anyway, I’ve included the link to the form to fill out in case we’re interested in going that route, but like I said, personally I think we should be ok, especially with gaining verbal permission to do it from a Zondervan representative over the phone.
Here is the link to the permission request form:
http://www.harpercollinschristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/hccp-permissions-form.docx
Also, here is the number that I called to speak with them about it:
(616) 698-6900
Let me know what you guys think.
I've been interested in getting this in Logos for a long time. Thanks for reviving this thread.
The gentleman I spoke with at Zondervan told me that if we are wanting to distribute it electronically in a small group setting (which is kinda what I’m thinking it would be considered if you do it through a Faithlife group under the documents section) then that shouldn’t be a problem, and that we shouldn't even need to ask for permission.
As much as I would love to make this into a personal book from my understanding this is not allowed because it is still under copyright.
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There was an electronic version on CD for a while. Not sure if you can still buy it or not. I had it for a while, but when I changed computers, I had loaned my CD out to a pastor and never got it back.
Can you provide any more information on this? Like what the CD was called? Would be nice to find this product online or something.
what was the final outcome? does anyone know?
No movement yet. It would be nice to hear from a Logos rep on this. Since Logos sells many other Zondervan titles, it doesn't seem like it would take much of a miracle to get this one too.
...Then again I know nothing of the publishing industry, and little about copyright law.
There is a copy of the New Testament version of the Serendipity Bible available via the Internet Archive:
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL2712677M/The_Serendipity_Bible_study_book
The quality is not great, but it is readable and available. The downloaded format is a DRM protected PDF file with what appears to be a library checkout system - but I cannot determine what the checkout period is.
Blessings,
Floyd
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