Abstracts Use in Database

["Andrea McElrath" <MCELRATA@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with the following.

One of our professors has created a very comprehensive database on Aristotle.
It is basicly a bibliography.  The creator would like to include abstracts
that have already been done for the information he has put together.  Are
these abstracts part of a public domain or are they owned by the
individuals/index service that did them originally?  Does the professor need
to get permission from each individual/index service for each abstract that is
used?  Or can he just post these abstracts on his website?  The online
bibliography can only be enhanced with these abstracts but the professor is
hesitant to just 'copy' the abstracts into his database.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you.

Andrea McElrath
Reference Librarian/Access Services Librarian
St. John's University
Staten Island Campus
New York