In an interview Thursday, Cohen said most, but not all of the archives in the digital library are older works in the public domain.

WSJ: Digital public library with vast archive opens

Enacted in 1994, Section 514 restores copyrights in foreign works previously in the public domain for failure to comply with formalities, lack of subject matter protection or lack of national eligibility, according to the opinion.

FORBES: 10th Circuit Brings Foreign Copyrights Back From The Dead

It challenges a 1994 law that seems to give publishers the right to re-copyright works already in the public domain.

FORBES: Re-Copyright Case May Be Less Than It Seems

Reversing a lower court in a closely watched case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has determined that a trade treaty that restores copyright protection to foreign works previously in the public domain is not unconstitutional.

FORBES: 10th Circuit Brings Foreign Copyrights Back From The Dead

Mr Hart tried to keep out of trouble, posting works that were safely in the public domain, but chafed at being unable to give away books that were new, and fought all copyright extensions like a tiger.

ECONOMIST: Michael Hart

Querying the foreign relations thrust of the legislation, the plaintiffs argued that other countries would not be influenced by preventing reliance parties in the U.S. from using works that had fallen into the public domain.

FORBES: 10th Circuit Brings Foreign Copyrights Back From The Dead

Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford have prohibited Google from scanning copyrighted works in their collections, limiting the company to books that are in the public domain.

NEWYORKER: Google��s Moon Shot