What does it mean when a book has no copyright?

There are a variety of reasons why a book may not list a copyright date. The book could be in the public domain for some reason. The copyright may have expired or the copyright owner may have released it to the public domain, or it may not have been eligible for federal copyright in the first place.

What books have no copyright?

Out Of Copyright Books

The Theory of Moral Sentiments (Paperback) Adam Smith.
The Rose-Garden Husband (Paperback) Margaret Widdemer.
Villette (Paperback) Charlotte Brontë
Dracula (Paperback)
The Enchanted Barn (Hardcover)
Jane Eyre (Paperback)
Wuthering Heights (Paperback)
Behemoth, or The Long Parliament (Paperback)

Are Dr Seuss books public domain?

Unfortunately, Dr. Seuss designs and quotes are not in the public domain and cannot be used on products for sale without written permission from Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) passed away in 1991, all licensing agreements are handled though Random House.

Is it legal to copy books that have been copyrighted before 1923?

If you believe a correction is needed, contact us. Books copyrighted in the US before 1923 are now in the public domain; their copyrights have expired and it is legal to copy such works. Books initially copyrighted in the US from 1923 through 1963 are still protected by copyright law if the initial copyright was renewed.

Where can I find books that have been copyrighted?

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. To search for copyright renewals of books originally copyrighted 1951 to date, consult the Library of Congress Copyright Database.

Is the run from 1891 to 1978 included in the Copyright Office?

Coverage: As of April 2013, all volumes of the run from 1891-1978 are included. Our lookup pages by year have alternate sources in the small number of cases where a volume that has in-force copyrights is missing from the Copyright Office scans.

When was the last time a copyright expired?

Our historic registration records page has pointers to original and renewal copyright records from before 1926. All copyrights registered in those years have expired in the US. See this page for original and renewal copyright records from 1926 to 1949.