Investigating Copyright Status

Here are some helpful guides to investigating the copyright and renewal status of published or unpublished works.

Samuel Demas and Jennie L. Brogdon, "Determining Copyright Status for Preservation and Access: Defining Reasonable Effort," Library Resources and Technical Services 41:4 (October, 1997): 323-334.

How to investigate the copyright status of a work. Circular 22 from the Library of Congress Copyright Office which provides general information on what is and is not protected by copyright, how to search for copyright records and updates on legal aspects of copyright issues.

The Online Books Page FAQ, especially "How Can I Tell Whether a Book Can Go Online?" and "How Can I Tell Whether a Copyright Was Renewed?"

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States is a chart indicating when a work will go into the public domain whether published or unpublished in the U.S. or outside the U.S.

Copyright Registration for Online Resources  This circular also from the Library of Congress and gives information about copyright registration of online works made available over a communications network such as the Internet.

Copyright Research from Stanford University give instructions for finding information about ownership and copyright validity

Copyright Clearance Center can verify the copyright status of a work for you because they manage the rights relating to over 1.75 million works and represents more than 9,600 publishers and hundreds of thousands of authors and other creators, directly or through their representatives.

Harry Ransom Center contains the freely-accessible WATCH File (Writers, Artists and their Copyright Holders), which gives searchers information on contact persons for copyright holders for U.S. and U.K. authors and artists.

More Copyright in the Classroom

Copyright in the Classroom

The Copyright Law

What are Copyrightable works?

What is protected by copyright?

The Copyright Notice

What cannot be protected by copyright?

Public Domain

Protected from Public Domain

Fair Use Exemption

Fair Use Checklist

Classroom Guidelines

Face-to-Face Teaching Exemption

Students & Copyright

Work for Hire

Copyright and the Web

Getting Permission

How to find copyright owners

Permission Letters

Some myths about copyright

International Copyright

DMCA Designated Agent

TEACH Act

Library & Copyright

Current Legislation & Case Law

Helpful Web sites

Resources on Copyright Law

The information presented here is not legal advice. Individuals and organizations should consult their own attorneys.

© Janet Tillman/The Master’s College, 2004, permission is granted for non-profit educational use; any reproduction or modification should include this statement.