ny time between December 31, 1976, and December 31,
1977, inclusive, were automatically extended in duration. The total
length of these copyrights is now 95 years from the end of the year in
which they were originally secured.

EXAMPLE: A work that was first copyrighted on April 10, 1923, and
renewed between April 10, 1950, and April 10, 1951, would formerly have
fallen into the public domain after April 10, 1979. The current law
extends this copyright through the end of 2018.

These second-term copyrights cannot be renewed again. Under the law,
their extension to the maximum 95-year term is automatic and requires no
action in the Copyright Office.

A SPECIAL SITUATION:
COPYRIGHTS REGISTERED FOR RENEWAL BETWEEN DECEMBER 31, 1976, AND
DECEMBER 31, 1977

The automatic extension also applied to copyrights that were the subject
of a renewal registration between December 31, 1976, and December 31,
1977, even though their second term was not scheduled to commence until
sometime in 1978.

EXAMPLE: A work was first copyrighted on July 29, 1950, and a renewal
registration was made on September 1, 1977. The second term of
copyright was automatically extended through the end of 2045 without
the need of any further renewal.

ANOTHER SPECIAL SITUATION:
COPYRIGHTS MORE THAN 56 YEARS OLD

The automatic extension applies not only to copyrights less than 56 years
old but also to older copyrights that have previously been extended in
duration under a series of Congressional enactments beginning in 1962.
[1] As in the case of all other copyrights subsisting in their second
term between December 31, 1976, and December 31, 1977, inclusive, these
copyrights will expire at the end of the calendar year in which the 95th
anniversary of the original date of copyright occurs, so long as the
copyright was still in its renewal phase at the time Public Law 105-298
became effective. [2]

EXAMPLE: A work that was first entered for copyright on October 5,
1907, and renewed in 1935, would formerly have fallen into the public
domain after October 5, 1963. The first Act extended the copyright to
December 31, 1965; the second Act extended it to December 31, 1967; the
third Act extended it to December 31, 1968; the fourth Act extended it
to December 31, 1969; the fifth Act extended it to December 31, 1970;
the sixth Act extended it to December 31, 1971; the seventh Act
extended it to December 31, 1972; the eig