Home › Law for Everybody › Printed Title Required

Printed Title Required

A printed copy of the title of the book, map, chart, dramatic or musical composition, engraving, cut, print, photograph, or chromo, or a description of the painting, drawing, statue, statuary, or model or design for a work of the fine arts, for which copyright is desired, must be delivered to the Librarian of Congress or deposited in the mail, within in the United States, prepaid, addressed "LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, WASHINGTON, D. C." This must be done on or before day of publication in this or any foreign country.

The printed title required may be a copy of the title-page of such publications as have title-pages. In other cases, the title must be printed expressly for copyright entry, with name of claimant of copyright. The style of type is immaterial, and the print of a type-writer will be accepted. But a separate title is required for each entry, and each title must be printed on paper large as commercial note. The title of a periodical must include the date and number; and each number of a periodical requires a separate entry of copyright.

FEES.

The legal fee for recording each copyright claim is 50. cents, and for a copy of this record (or certificate of copyright under seal of the office) an additional fee of 50 cents is required, making $1.00, in case certificate is wanted, which will be mailed as soon as reached in the records. In the case of publications produced by other than citizens or residents of the United States, the fee for recording title is $1.00, and 50 cents additional for a copy of the record. Certificates covering more than one entry in one certificate are not issued.

Not later than the day of publication of each book or other article, in this country or abroad, two complete copies of the best edition issued must be delivered, to perfect the copyright, or deposited in the mail within the United States, addressed "LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, WASHINGTON, D. C." The freight or postage must be prepaid, or the publications enclosed in parcels covered by printed Penalty Labels, furnished by the Librarian, in which case they will come FREE by mail (not express), without limit of weight, according to rulings of the Post Office Department. In the case of books, photographs, chromos, or lithographs, the two copies deposited must be printed from type set or plates made in the United States, or from negatives or drawings on stone, or transfers therefrom, made within the United States. Without the deposit of copies above required the copyright is void, and a penalty of $25.00 is incurred. No copy is required to be deposited elsewhere. The law requires one copy of each new edition wherein any substantial changes are made, to be deposited with the Librarian of Congress.