Investigating
Here are some helpful guides to investigating the copyright and renewal status of published or unpublished works.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Domain in the United States is a chart indicating when a work will go into the public domain whether published or unpublished in the
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
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
More Copyright in the Classroom
What is protected by copyright?
What cannot be protected by copyright?
Face-to-Face Teaching Exemption
Library & Copyright
Current Legislation & Case 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.