How To Get A Copy of A Copyrighted Work
Did you know that to register a work with the US Copyright Office you have to deposit a copy of the work with the Register of Copyrights? That means that the Copyright Office is the biggest library in the world, filling up with all kinds of works that get copyrighted but never get published.
Out of print works, if copyrighted, can still be found by requesting a copy of the “deposit” from the Office. Here's a quote from their website about how to do it:
Out of print works, if copyrighted, can still be found by requesting a copy of the “deposit” from the Office. Here's a quote from their website about how to do it:
1903.02 Requests for copies other than additional certificates. Requests for copies of records, indexes, material from the authorization file, correspondence, and deposits should be made to the Certifications and Documents Section. Fees are charged for making copies, for any searches required to find the material, and for certification. Failure to provide a registration number and year date, or volume and document number for a recorded document, may result in a search charge to find the material. To minimize search fees and expedite copying, the request for copies should include the following information when available:
1) A clear identification of the type of records or deposits to be copied (for example copies of deposits, correspondence, catalog entries, etc.).
2) A specification of whether the copies are to be certified or uncertified.
3) A clear identification of the specific records to be copied including, where possible, the type of work involved (for example a novel, song lyrics, technical drawing), the registration number, if any, the year date or approximate year date of registration or submission to the Office, the complete title of the work, the author(s) including any pseudonym, the claimant(s), and if the requested copy is of an assignment, license, contract, or other recorded document, the volume and page number of the recorded document.
4) The telephone number and address of the requester.
See 37 C.F.R. 201.2(d).