[sword-devel] (Fwd) Mail Delivery Failure.

[Jerry Hastings]

At 02:59 PM 10/15/2001 -0500, Jesse Jacobsen wrote:
>On 10/15/01, Jerry Hastings wrote:
> > A work must have been published before 1923 to be sure it is in the
> > public domain, in the US.
>
>I hadn't heard that before.  I've been proceeding on the basis of the
>information here:
>http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ1.html#hlc

Another good link is http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm, WHEN WORKS 
PASS INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

>It seems to say clearly that something published, for example, in the
>1940's, would have a 28-year copyright, which could be renewed
>according to various laws that followed in 1978 and later.  If it was
>not renewed, then the copyright expired at the end of its term.  Or
>maybe you mean there's no way to be certain that the copyright was not
>renewed, and only something published before 1923 has passed every
>expiration.

Yes, that is correct. From 1923 through 1963 there was a 28 year copyright 
which could be renewed. That is why I say "to be sure" the 1923 date is 
important. There are other ways to determine that a work is PD, but none as 
easy as knowing that a work was published before 1923. Note that the second 
edition, 1971, would have a 95 year copyright on the NT, which would not 
expire until 2066. There are still some reasons either the first or second 
could be PD, including failing to renew the first editions, but the odds 
seem against it. Probably the best thing to do is contact the publisher or 
copyright holder and ask if it is under copyright or if they will give 
permission to distribute.

Jerry