Book People Archive

Re: Alice Hegan books

> [Moderator: A book published in 1903 would indeed be in the public
>  domain in the US.  - JMO]

I don't want to be too rigorous but after I read the third chapter
in _The Public Domain: How to Find & Use Copyright-Free Writings,
Music, Art & More_ by Attorney Stephen Fishman (which I am
currently reviewing), I paused at the word "published" and thought
I should quote one line from the book:

     A written work is published for copyright purposes
     when the copyright owner, or someone acting on his
     or her behalf, makes it available to the _general_
     public.  (Chapter 3, p. 28) (The word "general"
     is italicized in the book.)

In other words, if a book was printed and was available
only to very few people without any further distribution
or reproduction, it is not considered as "published".

There are five pages in Fishman's book explaining what
is meant by published and tips to determine if a book
is published.

Just thought you want to know.

Joseph Pietro Riolo
<riolo@[redacted]>

[Moderator: Thanks! In the case of the Hegan, the book _Lovey Mary_ was
 indeed published in 1903, by the Century Company, so it's in the public
 domain in the US.  - JMO]