26 replies to this topic

[pfpeller]

According to Stanford, these books have been renewed and are under copyright

Man: his creation, fall, redemption and glorification, abridged
Man: his creation, fall, redemption and glorification
Israel's return to God
The god of Israel. Abridged ed
The god of Israel. NM: revisions & additions
Prophetic fulfillments in Palestine today
Messiah, His first coming scheduled. Unabridged
Messiah, His first coming scheduled. Abridged
The world's greatest library graphically illustrated
When Gog's armies meet the Almighty; an exposition of Ezekiel thirty-eight and thirty-nine

It does not look like the book on the Seventy Weeks of Daniel is under copyright.

[BaptizedBeliever]

Also, another question: by when did these things have to be copyrighted? Nevermind

Edited by Bradley S. Cobb, 05 June 2012 - 09:29 PM.

[Josh Bond]

Dave,

Thanks for the post. So, I am trying to make sure, in layman's terms, that I understand this.

If a book is printed pre-1963, and does not appear on the Stanford Copyright Renewal Database, it is considered public domain?

Usually? Always? Or is there another caveat that comes in to play? What if a company has been printing the book and selling it since its original publication date in the 1930s? Does that have anything to do with it, or does the fact that they didn't renew the copyright mean that it is public domain now?

I really need to understand this properly because I've got some books that would make great modules, but I need to make sure of this before I invest the hours of time in making them.

1922 and before: Public Domain

1923-1963: Check the Stanford database. If listed, copyrighted. If not listed, not copyrighted. Plenty claim copyrights that do not exist. I routinely see copyright statements for works that are in the public domain. Christian publishers seem to be the worst offenders.

Uncommon Exception: Some works were re-copyrighted under NAFTA. The requirement there is: a) the work was first published outside the US and b) the work was copyrighted in its source country at the time NAFTA was passed.

[BaptizedBeliever]

Works for me. So continual printing of a work doesn't mean it is still copyrighted. That makes things very interesting...

[Josh Bond]

Works for me. So continual printing of a work doesn't mean it is still copyrighted. That makes things very interesting...

Continual printing doesn't mean anything without the copyright extension, but that doesn't stop some from claiming it's copyrighted in the front matter.

[DoctorDaveT]

One more note: Printing Date and Copyright Date are not the same thing. A book may go through several printings, but what matters is the copyright date. If a book was copyrighted in 1923 (which at the time was 28 years), and then reprinted in 1953 (30 years later) without having the copyright legally renewed with the copyright office, that book is public domain even if the printer slaps a "copyright" in the front of it.

Again, printing date does not matter; nor does a "copyright" statement on a reprinted book. What matters is 1) original copyright date; and 2) whether or not the copyright was legally renewed.

So.... Check with Stanford & Rutgers. Any American work originally copyrighted 1923-1963 and unlisted at Stanford and/or Rutgers can be assumed to be non-renewed and therefore public domain.

By the way - anyone interested in visiting the Stanford and/or Rutgers Copyright Renewal databases can get there easily from my site. Just go to any DDT page, and at the bottom, click on "copyright policy." You'll find all kinds of info (and links) right there.

Edited by DoctorDaveT, 05 June 2012 - 10:10 PM.

[pfpeller]

By the way - anyone interested in visiting the Stanford and/or Rutgers Copyright Renewal databases can their easily from my site. Just go to any DDT page, and at the bottom, click on "copyright policy." You'll find all kinds of info (and links) right there.

Thats where I always go to find the link

[DoctorDaveT]

Peter

+1

[DSaw]

If I remember correctly we have mickey mouse to blame or there would be far more works in the public domain

[DoctorDaveT]

@DSaw

which is why you can expect more tinkering with copyright law in the not-so-distant future. Mickey made his screen debut in 1928 ("Steamboat Willie"). He is not scheduled to lapse into public domain until 2024, under current law (for works originally copyrighted 1923-1963 and properly renewed, their copyright period is 95 years).

Any takers on whether or not Disney can change the US copyright laws again during the next 11 years?