The Law Of Copyright

The new copyright law, which went into effect July 1, 1909, differs in

many respects from the law previously in force. Its main provisions are

given below, but those desiring to avail themselves of its protection

should write to the Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress,

Washington, D. C., for full instructions and the necessary blanks. etc.

The new law provides that the application for registration of any work

s all specify to which of the following classes the work in which

copyright is claimed belongs: (a) Books, including composite and

cyclopedic works, directories, gazetteers, and other compilations; (b)

periodicals, including newspapers; (c) lectures, sermons, addresses

prepared for oral delivery: (d) dramatic or dramatico-musical

compositions; (c) musical compositions; (f) maps; (g) works of art;

models or designs for works of art; (h) reproductions of a work of art;

(i) drawings or plastic works of a scientific or technical character:

(j) photographs; (k) prints and pictorial illustrations.





Necessary Steps to Secure Copyright.



For works reproduced in copies for sale: 1. Publish the work with the

copyright notice. The notice may be in the form Copyright, 19 .....

(year date of publication) by (name of copyright proprietor). 2.

Promptly after publication, send to the Copyright Office, Library of

Congress, Washington, D. C., two copies of the best edition of the work,

with an application for registration and a money order payable to the

Register of Copyrights for the statutory registration fee of $l.



In the case of books by American authors, or permanent residents of the

United States, the copies deposited must be accompanied by an affidavit,

under the official seal of an officer authorized to administer oaths,

stating that the typesetting, printing and binding of the book have been

performed within the United States. Affidavit and application forms will

be supplied on request.



Books of foreign origin in a language or languages other than English

are not required to be manufactured in the United States. In the case of

a book in the English language published abroad before publication in

this country, an ad interim copyright for 30 days may be secured under

certain conditions.



Copyright may also be had of certain classes of works (see a, b, c,

below) of which copies are not reproduced for sale, by filing an

application for registration, with the statutory fee of $1, sending

therewith: (a) in the case of lectures or other oral addresses or of

dramatic or musical compositions, one complete manuscript or typewritten

copy of the work. Registration, however, does not exempt the copyright

proprietor from the deposit of printed copies. (b) In the case of

photographs not intended for general circulation, one photographic

print. (c) In the case of works of art (paintings, drawings, sculpture),

or of drawings or plastic works of a scientific or technical character,

one photograph or other identifying reproduction of the work. In all

these cases, if the work is later reproduced in copies for sale, such

copies must be deposited.





Duration of Copyright.



The original term of copyright runs for twenty-eight years, and may be

renewed under certain conditions for a further term of twenty-eight

years, making fifty-six years in all.





Assignments.



Copyrights are assignable by any instrument of writing.



Every assignment of copyright must be recorded in the Copyright Office

within three months after its execution in the United States or within

six months after its execution without the limits of the United States.