Author Topic: Online PDF for rulebook? (Read 23694 times)

ljudge · « **on:** April 14, 2011, 07:35:34 PM »

Has an online rule book ever been published? The NCAA makes it so easy to get their material free of charge and it's posted online. It would be nice to have a high-school verison for easy text searches. Anyone know?

Atlanta Blue · « **Reply #1 on:** April 14, 2011, 07:54:44 PM »

If you are a member of the NFHS (either as an official or a coach), it is available online and can be downloaded. It is not available online to the general public. If you aren't a memeber, you are the general public.

HLinNC · « **Reply #2 on:** April 14, 2011, 09:42:46 PM »

The NF membership fee is $35 (less than one MS game fee) per year and allows you to view and download the Fed rule book and case book. You also get some liability coverage, training video access, and the quarterly officials publication, which is now only available online. The Fed moved all their benefits to the Arbiter hub last fall.
The fee is a legitimate expense for tax deduction purposes.

http://www.nfhs.org/officials/

VALJ · « **Reply #3 on:** April 15, 2011, 12:03:53 PM »

And if you're in Virginia, you probably just received an email welcoming you to that section. I got one a few weeks back, after years of hearing that the "dues you pay to the state make you a member of the NFHS, too."

ljudge · « **Reply #4 on:** April 16, 2011, 01:49:47 PM »

Quote from: Atlanta Blue on April 14, 2011, 07:54:44 PM

If you are a member of the NFHS (either as an official or a coach), it is available online and can be downloaded. It is not available online to the general public. If you aren't a memeber, you are the general public.

I am a member and able to log on. I wish they stop being so darned uptight about their publiciations. They do NOT let you download the material. When you click on the link it opens the book in adobe but doesn't allow you to download. A quote from their site...

"You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and view any PDF documents. Downloading and printing of this copyrighted material is prohibited. Click on the Acrobat Reader icon to download this free program."

The reason I was asking for this is the new version of adobe allows for highlighting, sticky notes, etc. where you can post in case plays, etc. from other sample case plays they post that doesn't make it into the books. I'm doing it for my NCAA book and I wanted to make something like what I'm thinking of for high school guys.

Atlanta Blue · « **Reply #5 on:** April 16, 2011, 05:57:25 PM »

They DO let you download it. When it opens on your desktop, you then save it to your computer. I just did it again to be sure it works.

Last year, you couldn't copy or print portions of the book. This year, you can do it.

If you are a member, it's all available to you. They are "uptight" about it because selling rule books is a profit center for them.

Try dowloading a Little League or NFL rule book. You'll run into roadblocks REAL quickly.

VALJ · « **Reply #6 on:** April 20, 2011, 07:58:52 PM »

OK, I feel like a real dunce, but I can't figure out how to download it. AB, are you going through the link from NFHS.org to the NFHS section on ArbiterSports.com?

HLinNC · « **Reply #7 on:** April 20, 2011, 11:08:30 PM »

I've had some difficulty opening my NF pdf files saved to my laptop but the NCAA rules opened just fine. After some tinkering just now, I got the NF files to open up again.

The Arbiter hub doesn't have the pdf files. Go to the Fed website http://www.nfhs.org/Default.aspx then click PUBLICATIONS LIBRARY on the left hand side. You will then get a screen wanting you to link to the Arbiter hub but click on the PUBLICATIONS LIBRARY link again below the referral. You will get a screen that says AVAILABLE SUBCATEGORIES, click on the file folder link that says Rules Information. You'll then get a list of sports under Available Subcategories. Click on Football and you will get your list of books. You should be then able to save.

BTW, I'm in Williamsburg this week on spring break.

VALJ · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2011, 08:52:43 AM »

"Access Denied. You must be logged in and be a member of an NFHS Professional Association or state staff member.

NOTE: As of January 2011 Members of the NFHS Officials Association are to gain access to the NFHS rules content via the NFHS/Arbiter hub. This area is located at the following URL...

http://nfhs.arbitersports.com "

Ah, well.

(Any chance I can ask someone to email them to me? Hit me up via a PM, please)

HLinNC · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2011, 12:06:45 PM »

Sounds like you need to contact your state office and get them to make sure their membership has access to the Fed website. That or just spring for the extra $35 and join solo.

Welpe · « **Reply #10 on:** April 25, 2011, 03:51:38 PM »

Quote from: HLinNC on April 21, 2011, 12:06:45 PM

Sounds like you need to contact your state office and get them to make sure their membership has access to the Fed website. That or just spring for the extra $35 and join solo.

I have the same problem as a newer NFHS member. I can access the Arbiter Hub so I am a member of the official's association but can't access the library on the NFHS site. Go figure.

tow · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2011, 10:51:30 AM »

I think there are two different logins required,one for NHFS,and another for the arbiter site,hope that helps

Welpe · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2011, 11:01:13 AM »

No doubt there are but I don't think they are registering new members to the NFHS.org site, instead they are trying to direct them to the Arbiter site.

HLinNC · « **Reply #13 on:** April 26, 2011, 01:42:18 PM »

My renewal is due next week. I'll try it again when the new rule books come out. They have been slow in the past to put them up so it may be hard to tell if they've quit posting them or just dragging their feet.

Magician · « **Reply #14 on:** April 29, 2011, 06:25:46 PM »

Quote from: Atlanta Blue on April 16, 2011, 05:57:25 PM

If you are a member, it's all available to you. They are "uptight" about it because selling rule books is a profit center for them.

It's technically not a profit center since they are non-profit. But it is definitely one of the primary revenue generators to help pay the bills. I bet if they went almost exclusively online they would save money in printing but they would still have to cover their costs somehow and that would have to be through some other means. Not impossible but not easy.

Rulesman · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2011, 05:52:24 PM »

Like it or not, the Federation has climbed into bed with Arbiter. We might as well get used to it. It is what it is...

tpaul · « **Reply #16 on:** July 19, 2011, 09:06:08 PM »

I see the last post was in May but every book is available on the NFHS central hub....cool

HLinNC · « **Reply #17 on:** July 20, 2011, 11:25:04 PM »

They are still available to NFOA members on the NF web site- you've just got to dig a little to find them.

Go to http://www.nfhs.org/Default.aspx

In the left column click on PUBLICATIONS LIBRARY

Under RESOURCE LIBRARY Available Subcategories
click Rules Information. The next screen may load a little slow.

Under Available Subcategories click Football or any other sport you see. You'll get the pdf file you can still download and save.

Atlanta Blue · « **Reply #18 on:** July 21, 2011, 06:02:36 AM »

Quote from: younggun on July 20, 2011, 03:33:22 PM

BAM... PDF rule book

http://www.apfoa.com/2011_-_NFHS_Football_Rules_1_.pdf

Big time violation of the NFHS copyright. And this association works some of our games!

bama_stripes · « **Reply #19 on:** July 21, 2011, 07:26:18 AM »

Quote from: Atlanta Blue on July 21, 2011, 06:02:36 AM

Big time violation of the NFHS copyright. And this association works some of our games!

I'm no legal expert, but since I have purchased printed copies of the Rules and Case books, aren't I allowed to have them in electronic form also?

Atlanta Blue · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2011, 08:17:33 AM »

Quote from: bama_stripes on July 21, 2011, 07:26:18 AM

I'm no legal expert, but since I have purchased printed copies of the Rules and Case books, aren't I allowed to have them in electronic form also?

Yes and no. If you buy a hard back book, that doesn't give you the rights to also receive a copy for your Kindle.

But the Fair Use Doctrine would certainly allow YOU to copy YOUR purchased version for YOUR own personal use. Posting it on your association's website CERTAINLY doesn't meet the Fair Use Doctrine, even if everyone in the association bought a copy of the book.

bama_stripes · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2011, 11:35:05 AM »

Quote from: Atlanta Blue on July 21, 2011, 08:17:33 AM

Posting it on your association's website CERTAINLY doesn't meet the Fair Use Doctrine, even if everyone in the association bought a copy of the book.

What if the posted electronic copy was restricted by password to those who purchased books? If the purpose of the copyright law is to prevent unauthorized distribution, it seems to me this would achieve that purpose.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but it's certainly convenient to have a searchable electronic copy.

Atlanta Blue · « **Reply #22 on:** July 21, 2011, 12:47:17 PM »

Quote from: bama_stripes on July 21, 2011, 11:35:05 AM

What if the posted electronic copy was restricted by password to those who purchased books? If the purpose of the copyright law is to prevent unauthorized distribution, it seems to me this would achieve that purpose.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but it's certainly convenient to have a searchable electronic copy.

No. I could quote copyright law and interpretation, but it takes up a lot of space, and no one here wants to see it. But password protecting it and making it available to only those who have purchased it still violates copyright law. Only the copyright holder has the right to distribute it.

YOU have the right to make a personal copy for YOUR use. Your association may quote or post short excerpts for educational purposes (much as we do on this board), which falls under Fair Use. The association cannot post the entire book (or anything other than a small excerpt) under any circumstances without the permission of the copyright holder.

younggun · « **Reply #23 on:** July 21, 2011, 02:43:41 PM »

I removed the link to the PDF because I do not want to get caught up in this copywrite discussion. Having said that, I just used Google to find it. I do not host the site, I am not affiliated with the association at all, or . I removed that link becasue I did not read the 'rules' it is right on the front page of the book when you open it. Shall not distribute. Sorry, in my lapse in judgement, I was just trying to help out. Thanks

LarryW60 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 25, 2011, 12:36:03 PM »

Apparently, coaches registered on the NFHS site can still download the .PDFs from the NFHS website, but officials registered with the NFHS cannot. Officials are automatically re-directed to the Arbiter site which has the view-only copies of the manuals.

Author Topic: Online PDF for rulebook? (Read 23694 times)

tow

tpaul

younggun

LarryW60