How to Conduct a Title Search for a Book

A book title search will reveal titles already in use.

People perform title searches for a book for a few different reasons. Authors and publishers search for titles to check if a potential title is already in use so that they can ensure that their book has a unique title, and to avoid accusations of copyright infringement. Readers search for titles when trying to find books on a particular subject or from a particular author.

Instructions

How to Use the United States Copyright Office for a Title Search

1. Use the United States Copyright Office to perform a book title search. Any title with a registered copyright after 1978 will show up in an online title search on the U.S. Copyright Office website. Connect to the U.S. Copyright Office website.

2. Click on Search Records, the last option on the menu bar.

3. Click on "Search the Catalog" in the left box.

4. Type the title in the Search For box and click on Begin Search. A list of titles matching the search will appear. Scroll through the list to find the correct title.

How to Use Online Bookstores or Google Books for a Title Search

1. Search for the book title in an online bookstore website. Online vendors that sell books offer extensive online catalogs. Sometimes title searches will produce hits even on books that are out of print. A title hit will not only bring up the title but often provide a cover image and description of the book.

2. Use Google Books to find a book title. Google Books finds titles that are available or out of print and out of copyright. If the book is in print, Google Books provides the user with the option to find the book for sale or at a library.

3. View titles with expired copyright registrations online with Google Books. Sometimes Google Books offers the entire book for viewing on the website. Other times just a sample of pages is available.

Tips & Warnings

• You can contact the U.S. Copyright Office by phone to search for titles registered prior to 1978. Copyright Office personnel will search the catalog for an hourly fee. Alternatively, you can visit the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington, D.C., to manually search through the title catalog.

References

• United States Copyright Office: Search Copyright Records
• Google Books: About