Copyright Catalog

Publication history and format

The Copyright Office published the Catalog of Copyright Entries (CCE) in print format from 1891 through 1978. These volumes may often be available at federal depository libraries. From 1979 through 1982, the CCE was issued in microfiche format. The catalog was divided into parts according to the classes of works registered. Each CCE segment covered all registrations made during a particular period of time. Renewal registrations made from 1979 through 1982 are found in section 8 of the catalog. Renewals prior to that time were generally listed at the end of the volume containing the class of work to which they pertained. Effective with registrations made since 1982, the only way to see the CCE is by using the Internet to access the Copyright Office automated catalog. The automated catalog contains entries from 1978 forward. To access the catalog, go to copyright.gov.

Nature of catalog entries and access to copies of documents

The Catalog of Copyright Entries, the Copyright Card Catalog, and the online files are indexes, not reproductions of original documents. To view or copy the original documents yourself, you must visit the Copyright Office. Information such as registration numbers may be obtained from these files. Providing this information yourself rather than paying a fee to have the Office search for it will reduce the cost of obtaining records and copies from the Copyright Office.

Copyright categories

Part 1. BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS, INCLUDING SERIALS AND CONTRIBUTION TO PERIODICALS

BooksBooks in foreign languages published abroadBooks in the English language first published abroadContributions to periodicalsRenewal registrations

Part 2. PERIODICALS

PeriodicalsPeriodicals in foreign languages published abroadPeriodicals in the English language first published abroadRenewal registrations

Parts 3-4. DRAMAS AND WORKS PREPARED FOR ORAL DELIVERY

Lectures and other works prepared for oral deliveryDramatic and dramatico-musical works published abroadPublished dramatic and dramatico-musical worksUnpublished dramatic and dramatico-musical worksRenewal registrations

Part 5. MUSIC

Musical compositions published abroadMusical compositions published in the United StatesUnpublished musicRenewal registrations

Part 6. MAPS AND ATLASES

MapsRenewal registrations

Parts 7-11A. WORKS OF ART, REPRODUCTIONS IN WORKS OF ART, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS, PRINTS AND PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS

Published works of art and designs for works of artUnpublished works of art and designs for works of artReproductions of works of art published in the United StatesPublished drawings of plastic works of a scientific or technical characterPublished photographsUnpublished photographsPrints and pictorial illustrations published in the United StatesPrints and pictorial illustrations published abroadRenewal registrations

Part 11B. COMMERCIAL PRINTS AND LABELS

Commercials prints and labelsRenewal registrations

Parts 12-13. MOTION PICTURES AND FILMSTRIPS

Published motion picture photoplaysUnpublished motion picture photoplays:Published motion pictures other than photoplaysUnpublished motion pictures other than photoplays:Renewal registrations

Cumulative copyright catalogs

For selected categories, the Library of Congress published hardcover books of copyright registrations covering ten or more years. These include

Dramatic Compositions Copyrighted in the United States 1870 to 1916, a two-volume set, published in 1918. Volume 1 (pages 1 – 1662) has alphabetized works with titles from A through N (consecutively numbered 1 – 33,176). Volume 2 (pages 1663–2830) has alphabetized works with titles from O through Z (consecutively numbered 33,177 – 56,066); page 2831 has titles that begin with numerals. Page 2832-33 have Additions and Corrections. Page 2834 is blank. Pages 2835 – 3547 is an alphabetical index of authors, with each name followed by that author’s works.

Catalog of Copyright Entries: Cumulative Series. Motion Pictures 1912-1939 (51,112 films), published in 1951. L.C. card, 51-60018. (copy)

Motion Pictures 1894-1912 Identified from the Records of the United States Copyright Office by Howard Lamarr Wells (8,506 films), published in 1953. (This is the only cumulative copyright catalog with an author credit.) L.C. card, 53-60033.

Catalog of Copyright Entries: Cumulative Series. Motion Pictures 1940-1949 (18,767 films and early TV programs), published in 1953. L.C. card, 53-60032.

Catalog of Copyright Entries: Cumulative Series. Motion Pictures 1950-1959 (27,310 films and TV programs), published in 1960. L.C. card, 53-60032.

Catalog of Copyright Entries: Cumulative Series. Motion Pictures 1960-1969 (34,277 films and TV programs), published in 1971. L.C. card, 53-60032.

Catalog reprints

All of the cumulative Copyright Catalogs listed above are out of print. However, the complete text of registrations and indexes in the four volumes of motion pictures from 1894 through 1959 have been reprinted in the Film Superlist series.

Google has scanned many of these catalogs. Please see The University of Pennsylvania library website for more info.