Circular 23

The Copyright Card

Catalog and the
Online Files of
the Copyright Office

Together, the copyright card catalog and the online files of the Copyright Office
provide an index to copyright registrations and records in the United States
from 1870 to the present. The copyright card catalog contains approximately 45
million cards covering the period 1870 through 1977. Registrations and records
for all works dating from January 1, 1978, to the present are searchable in the
online catalog, available at www.copyright.gov/records.
A large part of the literary, musical, artistic, and scientific production of
the United States and of foreign countries is recorded in these files. They are
an important supplement to the main catalog of the Library of Congress as a
bibliographical tool, in part because only a portion of the works deposited for
copyright are selected for inclusion in the Library’s collections, and the Library
does not always fully catalog those works it selects. The copyright card catalog
and the files are of particular value in searching for pamphlets, unpublished
music or dramas, lectures, and materials in the visual arts classifications.

Location and Use of the Card Catalog

The copyright card catalog is located in the Copyright Public Records Reading
Room (lm-404) on the fourth floor of the James Madison Memorial Building
of the Library of Congress. The public can use the catalog, which is staffed
by a Copyright Office employee, between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, eastern time,
Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. Before starting your search,
consult Circular 22, How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work, available
on the Copyright Office website or from the staff member on duty.
Alternatively, Copyright Office staff can search copyright records for you.
Upon payment of an hourly fee, the Office will conduct a search and provide a
factual, noninterpretive report. To initiate a search, consult the staff member on
duty when you visit the Office, complete the form available at www.copyright.
gov/forms/search_estimate.html, or contact the Office at:
Library of Congress
Copyright Office–IRD
Records Research and Certification Section
101 Independence Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20559
fax: (202) 252-3485
tel : (202) 707-6850

2 23.1215
 Copyright Card Catalog and Online Files · 2

Searches will be done in turn as requests are received. For Another published series of registrations of dramatic
current fees and information about acceptable methods of works, Dramatic Compositions Copyrighted in the United
payment, see Circular 4, Copyright Office Fees, or go to the States, 1870–1916, is available as digitized images at the fol-
Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov. lowing sites:
Vol. 1, A–N: http://archive.org/details/Dramaticcom-
posit01libr0012_201303
Other Records that Supplement the
Vol. 2, O–Z: http://archive.org/details/Dramaticcom-
Card Catalog
posit02libr0012
The Copyright Office printed the Catalog of Copyright Both of these collected sets are available in the Copyright
Entries (CCE) from 1891 through 1978. From 1979 through Office in the card catalog area.
1982, it was published on microfiche. The catalog is divided None of these published volumes contain corrected
into parts according to the classes of works registered. Each entries or the address of the copyright claimant.
segment covers all registrations made during a particular
period. Renewal registrations from 1979 through 1982 appear
in section 8 of the catalog. Renewals prior to that time are Locating Copyright Registrations
generally listed at the end of the volume containing the class
of work to which they pertain. Under the 1909 copyright law that was effective through
The Copyright Office has digitized the 661 volumes of the 1977, a work could be registered in one of 15 different classes,
catalog, and these are now available at http://archive.org/ depending on its nature (for example, book, drama, painting).
details/copyrightrecords/. However, a search of the catalog The cards in the card catalog contain five key elements that
alone will not always provide the needed information. For establish the history of any original registration. These ele-
example: ments are:
• Since the catalog does not include entries for assignments • the title of the work
or other recorded documents, searches involving the own- • the author or authors
ership of rights must be supplemented by other resources,
• the claimant or claimants, that is, the owner(s) of the
such as those discussed below.
copyright, who may be different from the author(s)
• The catalog entry contains the essential facts concerning a • the date of publication, the day on which copyright
registration, but it is not a verbatim transcript of the reg- protection commenced, or the date of receipt for unpub-
istration nor does it contain corrected entries. It does not lished works, and
contain the address of the copyright claimant.
• the registration number, which is a letter (depending on
A published series, the Cumulative Catalogs of Motion the classification) followed by from one to seven digits
Picture Entries, provides detailed registration information
for motion pictures and filmstrips for the years 1894–1969. Any work by a U.S. national published or registered before
Digitized images of these catalogs can be accessed at the fol- January 1, 1964, must have been renewed by an application
lowing sites: for registration in the 28th year following the original date
1894–1912: http://archive.org/details/Motion-
of publication or registration to continue its term of protec-
pict18941912librrich0013 tion. However, copyrights in works registered or published
between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977, have an
1912–1939: http://archive.org/details/Motion-
automatic renewal for a full 95-year term of protection.
pict19121939librrich0010 Although the period of protection is automatically renewed,
1940–1949: http://archive.org/details/Motion- a renewal application may be submitted anyway. If the work
pict19401949librrich0010 in question is more than 27 years old and less than 95 years
1950–1959: http://archive.org/details/Motion-
old, a renewal registration consists of all the following:
pict19591960librrich0008 • the title and author(s) of the original work
1960–1969: http://archive.org/details/Motion- • the renewal claimant or claimants
pict19601969librrich0013 • the date on which the second term of protection com-
menced, and
 Copyright Card Catalog and Online Files · 3

• the renewal registration number, which is the letter R or The Copyright Office employee on duty in the card cata-
the letters RE followed by from one to six digits log area is always ready to answer further questions.

Since January 1, 1978, when the 1976 Copyright Act went

into effect, copyright registrations have been cataloged by Copyright Office Records by
entering the appropriate information into an electronic Chronological Periods
database. All the elements described for paper formats of
catalogs in the previous paragraph are also entered into the Over the years, with changes in the techniques of recording
database. However, the number of classes has been reduced, copyright registrations, the Copyright Office has divided
with different letter codes preceding the digits. In addition, these records into several chronological periods.
the record now distinguishes among the date of creation
(the year in which the work was fixed in its form), the date 1790 – 1870
of publication (public distribution) where applicable, and During this period, claims to statutory copyright were reg-
the effective date of registration (when the copy or copies istered in the office of the clerk of each of the United States
of the work, the fee, and the application were received in district courts. These records are on microfilm, located in the
the Copyright Office). Instructional material and computer card catalog area. Entries in the records are arranged first by
terminals are available in the card catalog area to enable the district court, then alphabetically with chronological entries
researcher to retrieve information from the online database. under each letter. Indexing, which is sporadic, is in the front
of some volumes. The original district court record books
are housed in the Rare Book and Special Collections Divi-
Search Strategies: Idiosyncrasies of the sion of the Library of Congress. The earliest records have
Copyright Card Catalog been published by the Library of Congress in Federal Copy-
right Records 1790–1800.
In general, each segment of the card catalog, all filing ele-
ments are divided into two alphabetized groups: personal 1870 – 1897
names followed by corporate names and titles. Thus, for The oldest part of the card catalog is a general index and
example, a researcher using the name or word White would covers registrations from 1870 through 1897, and is used
find Alice White and Zachary White before White Lithographs, primarily for historical purposes since, in general, any work
Ltd., and The White Monkey. published or registered prior to 1923 would no longer be under
The copyright records are subject to a lack of standard- copyright protection in the United States. Author, title, and
ization in the romanization of names, cross-references, and claimant entries for all types of works are interfiled in one
other filing elements. A researcher should take into account alphabet. The first word of a title, or a keyword within the
any possible variant forms of names and titles. For example, title, and the names of the author and claimant are the basic
cross-references may not be provided for entries cataloged filing elements. The year date and number found next to the
under Chaikovskii and Tschaikowsky. Non-English names entry lead to the record books where the full copyright facts
such as de Mille and von Franz may appear under both the are recorded. These books may be reviewed in the Copyright
prefix and the surname. A corporate entity such as Walt Public Records Reading Room (lm-404), between 8:30 am and
Disney Productions may appear under that form or under 5:00 pm eastern time, Monday through Friday except federal
Disney (Walt) Productions. The post-1977 online records can holidays.
be sensitive to spacing and punctuation: Bank of America
NT&SA ; Bank of America N.T.& S.A.; and Bank of America, 1898 – 1937
NT & SA are all different index entries within the electronic Beginning with 1898, there is a separate file for each class of
files. copyrighted works or groups of closely related classes. From
When working with some indexes predating 1938, use of July 1, 1909, to approximately November 6, 1937, copyright
the published Catalog of Copyright Entries is recommended. applications were submitted on cards, which were used as the
During that period, titles of books, lyricists, and even com- main entries in the individual indexes, filed under the name
posers were inadequately entered into the card catalog. The of the claimant.
printed volume is therefore invaluable for tracing elements
not found on the catalog cards. There is no subject index to
the card catalog.
 Copyright Card Catalog and Online Files · 4

Books are accessible by separate author and claimant 1946 – 1954 The same consolidated index cover-
indexes, but not by title, except for composite or anonymous ing all classes of registrations is in use for works
works and certain serials and other compilations. cataloged from 1946 through 1954, but extensive
Periodicals are filed from 1898 to 1909 in a claimant and cross-references replace the information formerly
title index, and from 1909 to 1937 by claimant only. given on each added-entry card.

Music can be located through claimant and title indexes.

1955 – 1970 For this period, cards are interfiled
Access by composer is limited; there are no entries under
alphabetically as described above, but added-
lyricists’ names. This file also includes registrations for some
entry cards once again provide full information
musical dramas.
for each registration.
Dramas from 1870 through 1916 are cataloged in the pub-
lished two-volume work, Dramatic Compositions Copyrighted 1971 – 1977 This section of the card catalog, also
in the United States, 1870–1916, available in the Copyright interfiled alphabetically, covers the period from
Public Records Reading Room (lm-404). Dramas and lec- 1971 through December 31, 1977, the last day
tures from 1909 through 1937 are indexed in the card catalog on which works were registered under the 1909
by claimant and, after 1917, by title and author as well. copyright law.
Graphic arts (including photographs, motion pictures,
1978–present
engravings, and maps) are indexed primarily by claimant,
with a small working file containing some entries by author Registrations for all works dating from January 1, 1978, to
and title. Maps are arranged by geographical area under the the present, as well as renewals and recorded documents, are
name of each claimant or by the place name. available for searching in the online Copyright Office catalog
Renewals from 1909 through 1937 are indexed by claim- at www.copyright.gov. Select Search Copyright Records.
ant, title, and, depending on the class of work being renewed,
author.
Commercial Prints and Labels
1938–1977
The card catalog from 1938 through 1977 is organized by Commercial prints and labels were initially registered by the
blocks of time, as outlined below. Therefore, the searcher U.S. Patent Office. Two book files, Commercial Prints and
must know the approximate date of publication or registra- Labels Registered in the United States Patent Office, one for
tion. Within each segment of this part of the card catalog, all 1876–1921 and the other for 1922–40, contain photocopied
original and renewal registrations are interfiled alphabeti- lists of Patent Office registrations for prints and labels. The
cally under author’s name, claimant’s name, and title. lists for 1922–40 are duplicated by a single alphabetical file
in the card catalog, arranged by claimant. Congress gave the
1938 – 1945 This part of the card catalog, which Copyright Office responsibility for registering prints and
actually began in November 1937, is also known labels in 1940, and they are interfiled in the card catalog after
as the general index. Like the general index of 1940 as a separate registration class.
1870–1897, all classes of registrations are interfiled
in one alphabetical sequence. The claimant is
the main entry on the original registration card, Assignment and Related Documents Index
and added-entry cards exist for the author, title, and Automated Documents Catalog
source author, and source title in the case of a
derivative work and for the name of any other After establishing the facts of copyright registration, the
person who had some responsibility in the cre- researcher may wish to determine whether the ownership of
ation of the work. Similar added-entry cards for the copyright has been transferred or otherwise altered.
related names and titles are interfiled throughout The Assignment and Related Documents Index is the
the rest of the card catalog. Beginning in 1938, source for tracing documents clarifying the ownership of
the principal access to maps is by claimant, with copyrights that have been officially recorded in the Copyright
added entries for place name and author. Office from 1870 through 1977. Legal documents, including
wills and contracts transferring copyright from one person
or firm to another, are among the kinds of documents
 Copyright Card Catalog and Online Files · 5

indexed. Assignor-transferor and assignee-transferee files Further Services for the Researcher
are separate until August 15, 1941, and are thereafter inter-
filed through 1977. A single title file covers the period 1928 After having established the facts of copyright registra-
through 1977. There is no title file prior to 1928. tion, the researcher may wish to obtain certified copies of
Access to assignment documents recorded after 1977 is the original applications or copies of the works themselves.
available online at www.copyright.gov. The documents are These services, subject to certain restrictions and to availabil-
cataloged and filed by the names of the parties involved and ity of the material, are provided by the Copyright Office for
by title. Instructional material is available at computer termi- a fee. Details are available in Circular 6, Obtaining Copies of
nals in the Copyright Public Records Reading Room (lm-404) Copyright Office Records and Deposits. The Office can initiate
to help the researcher retrieve the data in this file. in-process searches as well as searches in the correspondence
After locating the information needed in the files, the and unfinished business files (where available) of the Copy-
researcher may view microfilm copies of the documents right Office for material that may contain original letters
themselves on reader-printer machines in the Copyright from authors and publishers, deposit copies (possibly unique
Public Records Reading Room (lm-404). All recorded assign- examples) on which no cataloging action has been under-
ments and documents from 1870 to approximately 1994 taken, and similar information.
are on microfilm. Available online in the Copyright Public The researcher can inspect any of the original record
Records Reading Room only are scanned images of all books and applications stored in the Copyright Office.
recorded documents from 1870 to the present. The quality
of these scanned images varies, and a patron may be better
served by utilizing the microfilm. Early documents, in vari- For Further Information
ous formats, are also bound in books from 1870 to 1953.
By Internet
Online registration, circulars, announcements, regulations,
“Notice of Use” and other related materials, and all copyright application forms
“Notice of Intention to Use” Files are available from the Copyright Office website at www.
copyright.gov. To send an email communication, click on
Notice of use and notice of intention to use files are a part of Contact Us at the bottom of the homepage.
the copyright card catalog, but they create a different kind of
record. By Telephone
Under the 1909 copyright law, the copyright owner of a For general information about copyright, call the Copyright
musical composition had the exclusive right to make the first Public Information Office at (202) 707-3000 or 1-877-476-
mechanical recording of the work. After the owner had ini- 0778. Staff members are on duty from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm,
tially recorded the work, he or she was required to submit to Monday through Friday, eastern time, except federal holidays.
the Copyright Office a notice of use. The work could then be Recorded infor­mation is available 24 hours a day. To
recorded by anyone for a fixed royalty fee or by negotiating a request application forms and circulars, call the Forms and
separate contract. Notices of use from 1909 through 1952 are Publications Hotline at (202) 707-9100 and leave a recorded
located in separate title and claimant files; from 1953 through message.
1977 they are interfiled in the card catalog under title and
claimant only. Under the current law effective in 1978, a By Regular Mail
copyright owner need only register a claim to copyright to Write to:
be entitled to receive royalties, so the notice of use file is no
Library of Congress
longer active.
Copyright Office –COPUBS
Notices of intention to use, filed by those wishing to
101 Independence Avenue SE
record copyrighted music, are filed by title only in a separate
Washington, DC 20559
index covering the period 1909 to 1977. Under the current
law, interested parties can file a notice of intention to obtain
a compulsory license in the Licensing Division of the
Copyright Office. Researchers should consult the Licensing
Division concerning public inspection of this file. Call (202)
707-8150 or email [email protected].
 Copyright Card Catalog and Online Files · 6

U. S. Copyright Office · Library of Congress · 101 Independence Avenue SE · Washington, DC 20559 · www.copyright.gov
circular 23 revised: 12 / 2015 Printed on recycled paper u. s. government printing office: 2015-xxx-xxx / xx,xxx