If just one of these elements is omitted, the work is deemed to be published without notice and is not eligible for copyright protection.

'The name of the copyright owner, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner.'.

'The year of first publication for the work' and.

'The symbol © or the word 'Copyright' or the abbreviation 'Copr.' or an acceptable variant such as '(c)'.

Keep in mind that the pre-1989 requirements for copyright notice were highly formalistic and, other than a few enumerated exceptions, required these three elements:

Eleven Classic Covers of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird at Flashbak – first image is a full scan of the dust jacket.

Listing at Peter Harrington (with complete scan).

To Kill a Mockingbird at the Gianakos-Safos Collection – a collection of images of a first edition, which together show the dust jacket in its entirety.

Adrienne Raptis's ' To Kill a Mockingbird First Edition Issue Points' at Raptis Rare Books – a guide to identifying first editions of the book.

Numerous sources can be used to verify the dust jacket's lack of a copyright notice: Likewise, a notice appearing in a book is not an acceptable notice for the dust jacket or any material appearing on that dust jacket, even if the book refers to the jacket or material appearing on the jacket.' 'A notice of copyright on the dust jacket of a book is not an acceptable notice for the book, because the dust jacket is not permanently attached to the book. Copyright Office Practices: Chapter 2200, § 2207.1(C) at p. However, the first-edition dust jacket did not carry a separate copyright notice.

To Kill a Mockingbird was first published in 1960 the hardcover book itself carried a copyright notice, so its contents remain copyrighted.

Second, the dust jacket was first published prior to 1978 without a valid copyright notice.

First, the photo is a mechanical scan/photocopy of the original cover and does not qualify for independent copyright protection.

It is not known whether Smith is living or dead, which would be needed to measure a copyright term of the author's life plus a set number of years.)

(There is very little information online about Shirley Smith this presents a possible problem for use of the image in countries that do not recognize the rule of the shorter term. The credit 'Jacket design by Shirley Smith' is found on the left jacket flap. Description To Kill a Mockingbird (first edition cover).jpgįirst-edition cover of To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) by the American author Harper Lee.

To kill a mockingbird book cover