Page:Compendium of US Copyright Office Practices (1973).pdf/308

12.3.5

Identification of subject matter.(cont'd)

V.

No titles given. When a document in which no titles are specified is resorded, the index cards will contain the notation "No titles given."

12.3.6

Words of present conyeyance.

I.

Example. A document purporting to be an assign­ment should contain words to the effect that copy­right is presently being conveyed (e.g., "I,

Horaoe C. Rucksack, do hereby assign, sell, trans­fer, grant, and convey copyright in 'Old Rag, I Love You,' to the Sperryville Literary Society, Inc."

II.

Lacking clear words of present conveyance. Where the applicant obviously wishes to have an assignment recorded, a document which lacks clear words of present conveyance will be questioned.

Examples:

(1)

A letter referring to an "understanding that you will have the assignment re­corded," accompanied by the certificate of registration.

(2)

A letter addressed to the author giving him "permission to seek another publisher and to take whatever steps are necessary to have the copyright transferred to you."

(3)

A letter from an author indicating that "the publisher has agreed to assign the

copyright to me."

(4)

A letter addressed to the Copyright Office, asking the Register of Copyrights to make a transfer of the copyright.

III.

Intention manifest. Where the intention to assign the copyright is manifest from a reading of the docu­ment as a whole, the fact that it is in the form of a letter or is inexactly or vaguely worded will not preclude its recordation.

12.3.7

Completeness.

I

In general. In general, a document will not be recorded unless it is complete by its own terms.