Where can I find list of copyright renewals?
To search for copyright renewals of books originally copyrighted 1923-1963, search the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database. If you don’t find a renewal here, then the work is now probably in the public domain. Also check Copyright renewal records at Rutgers.
When do books need to be copyrighted in the US?
In the US, books published before 1964 had to get their copyrights renewed at the Library of Congress Copyright Office in their 28th year, or they’d fall into the public domain. Some books originally published outside the US by non-Americans are exempt from this requirement, and in fact some such books had their copyrights restored recently.
When was the last time a book was copyrighted?
All books initially copyrighted in the US from 1964 through 1977 have had their copyrights automatically renewed (by law) and the copyrights are still in force. The initial copyright term was 28 years; the renewal was for 67 more years.
Can a book that was published before 1925 be reprinted?
Any titles that can truly be called “antique” (books printed before 1925) are public domain and may be reprinted without any special permission or fees. There is no need to ask permission of or pay the author (or her family) or the original publisher. Conduct an internet search to see if the title is already widely available, and at what cost.
To search for copyright renewals of books originally copyrighted 1923-1963, search the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database. If you don’t find a renewal here, then the work is now probably in the public domain. Also check Copyright renewal records at Rutgers.
All books initially copyrighted in the US from 1964 through 1977 have had their copyrights automatically renewed (by law) and the copyrights are still in force. The initial copyright term was 28 years; the renewal was for 67 more years.
What happens if I renew my copyright after the 28th year?
A renewal registration made after the 28th year will not confer the benefits mentioned above but will confer other benefits denied to unregistered works. For example, renewal registration establishes a public record of copyright owner- ship in a work at the time that the renewal was registered.
In the US, books published before 1964 had to get their copyrights renewed at the Library of Congress Copyright Office in their 28th year, or they’d fall into the public domain. Some books originally published outside the US by non-Americans are exempt from this requirement, and in fact some such books had their copyrights restored recently.