The
current Copyright Law established dates at which Copyright protection
for unpublished works expires and those works pass into the public
domain. Unpublished works created prior to January 1, 1978, and not
published, will pass into the public domain 70 years after the author's
death or at the end of 2002, whichever is later. Unpublished works
created prior to January 1, 1978, but which are published between
then and the end of 2002, will pass into the public domain 70 years
after the author's death or at the end of 2047, whichever is later.
Additionally,
all works published before 1923 are now in the public domain.
Publications
that may help in this determination include:
The
U.S. Copyright Law, Chapter 3 -- Duration of Copyright
Information
Circular 15a - Duration of Copyright: Provisions of the Law Dealing
with the Length of Copyright Protection
When
Works Pass Into the Public Domain
