In Copyright? - Copyright Renewal Database launched

[Alexander Turcic]

A few days ago, Google engineer Jarkko Hietaniemi released the XML file of all copyright renewal notices for books published in the United States between 1923 and 1963. The file is free and in the public domain, so I went ahead and imported it into a database-driven Web application, allowing you to do quick full-text searches through the records.

You can access it here: http://www.incopyright.org/

I should note that there is another similar online database by Stanford University; however, according to the Google Book Search blog, the Google-based database contains "the best and most comprehensive set of renewal records available today".

Feedback always recommended.

Enjoy!

[astrodad]

Sweet. Does the renew date mean that it was renewed that date, or the date it should have been renewed?

[Alexander Turcic]

It's the date when it was renewed. All records contain works whose copyright has been renewed.

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I wonder how complete it is. I was looking at Eric Frank Russell, and I noticed that a number of shorter works were missing, even making allowance for several short story collections that were renewed. Not included, or public domain? Just curious....

[Alexander Turcic]

Ralph, how did you search for him? Did you look at the search tips?

I would search for +eric +russell

The database uses the records fetched from the U.S. Copyright Office and Project Gutenberg. Do you have the name of a short story collection?

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I did "Eric Frank Russell" and +eric +russell with same result for the author. The short story collection is Deep Space. I just pulled it off the shelf - it contains 9 short stories. Other probable collections are - Startling Stories, Early Bird, This One's On Me, The Cosmic Relic, and The Rabble Rousers.
I'll go wiki EFR and check them out (I don't have them in paper).

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Most interesting. Sinister Barrier, his first and one of his most famous novels, is not on the list either by author or by title.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Most interesting. Sinister Barrier, his first and one of his most famous novels, is not on the list either by author or by title.

Yeps. Also not in the Stanford U database.

[Ralph Sir Edward]

This still strikes me as strange as P.G. hasn't done any of his works. Maybe they know something we don't know. I'd better give Greg Weeks an e-mail...

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

I wonder how complete it is. I was looking at Eric Frank Russell, and I noticed that a number of shorter works were missing, even making allowance for several short story collections that were renewed. Not included, or public domain? Just curious....

You might query NESFA Press about Russell. They've been returning a fair bit of Russell to print. I have a story collection called _Major Ingredients_ and a novel collection called _Entities_ here. They could likely give you more information about the copyright status.

http://www.nesfa.org/press/
______
Dennis

[pilotbob]

In the US there is no current requirement to register a copyright. Was it before 63 that it was required?

In other words, if it's not on this list, does that mean it's not under copyright protection?

BOb

[Nate the great]

That's a complicated question, Bob. Here goes:

If published:

after 1976, the work does not have to be registered or renewed;

after 1964, the work had to be registered but did not have to be renewed;

before 1964 the work had to be both registered and renewed (in the 28th year).

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Actually, I believe it was 1976 when the US joined the Berne Convention. There was a big noise made about Lord of the Rings being pirated by ---- company due to the lack of a US copyright filing. (Name deliberately left off.)
There was a number of (Very rare!) mimeograph books issued in the US by British authors to enforce their copyrights....

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Actually, I believe it was 1976 when the US joined the Berne Convention. There was a big noise made about Lord of the Rings being pirated by ---- company due to the lack of a US copyright filing. (Name deliberately left off.)
There was a number of (Very rare!) mimeograph books issued in the US by British authors to enforce their copyrights....

Yes, but in the year (1964+28) the US passed another law backdating the 1976 law to 1964.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Yes, but in the year (1964+28) the US passed another law backdating the 1976 law to 1964.

My brain hurts... and since my brain is very large I am in alot of pain right now.

BOb