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U.S.  GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:  1999-454-879/5
Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E. 
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

www.loc.gov/copyright

June 1999 —­ 15,000
WEB REV:  June 1999

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United States Copyright Office

Circular 22

How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work

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IN GENERAL

Methods of Approaching & Copyright Investigation

There are several ways to investigate whether a work is under copyright protection and, if so, the facts of the copyright.  These are the main ones: 

1.  Examine a copy of the work for such elements as a copyright notice, place and date of publication, author and publisher.  If the work is a sound recording, examine the disk, tape cartridge, or cassette in which the recorded sound is fixed, or the album cover, sleeve, or container in which the recording is sold.

2.  Make a search of the Copyright Office catalogs and other records; or

3.  Have the Copyright Office make a search for you.

A Few Words of Caution About Copyright Investigations

Copyright investigations often involve more than one of these methods.  Even if you follow all three approaches, the results may not be conclusive.  Moreover, as explained in this circular, the changes brought about under the Copyright Act of 1976, the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, the Copyright Renewal Act of 1992, and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 must be considered when investigating the copyright status of a work.

This circular offers some practical guidance on what to look for if you are making a copyright investigation.  It is important to realize, however, that this circular contains only general information and that there are a number of exceptions to the principles outlined here.  In many cases it is important to consult with a copyright attorney before reaching any conclusions regarding the copyright status of a work.

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HOW TO SEARCH COPYRIGHT OFFICE CATALOGS AND RECORDS
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Catalog of Copyright Entries

The Copyright Office published the Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) in printed format from 1891 through 1978.  From 1979 through 1982 the CCE was issued in microfiche format.  The catalog was divided into parts according to the classes of works registered.  Each CCE segment covered all registrations made during a particular period of time.  Renewal registrations made from 1979 through 1982 are found in Section 8 of the catalog.  Renewals prior to that time were generally listed at the end of the volume containing the class of work to which they pertained.