Q. If the original publisher is out of business, who owns the copyright?

It depends. Who originally owned the copyright? Was it the publisher or the author(s)? If a book, likely copyright is still held by the author. If it is the publisher, whoever acquired the assets from the defunct publisher will probably own the rights. Intellectual property is an asset. You may have to dig to find out who was involved in that transfer or the lawyer that administered the publisher closure.

Disclaimer: These Ask Yale Library questions are fluid and subject to change.  If you have suggestions or feedback on this, please contact:

Sandra Aya Enimil

Copyright Librarian and Contracting Specialist

copyright.librarian@yale.edu or sandra.enimil@yale.edu

The information provided in this guide is for your general information purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice.  For legal advice, please consult with your own attorney or Yale's Office of General Counsel.