Copyright and Licensing

As of January, 1, 2022, all cylinder recordings made prior to December 31, 1922 are now in the public domain in the United States and many places elsewhere. These cylinders can be freely downloaded and used for whatever purpose, commercial or non-commercial. Original wav files of public domain files will soon be available for download.

MP3 files of cylinders recorded on of after January 1, 1923 are ©2005-2022 by the Regents of the University of California. They are licensed for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 License. Acknowledgments for reuse of the transfers should read "University of California, Santa Barbara Library."

Original wav files of post 1922 cylinders (either unedited or restored) can be provided upon request for commercial or non-commercial use such as CD reissues, film/TVsynchronization, or use on websites or in exhibits. The University of California makes no claims or warranties as to the copyright status of the original recordings and charges a use fee for the use of the transfers. Please contact David Seubert for information on licensing cylinder transfers.

Audio Use Fees*

Test Minimum Commercial Use Non-Profit Use
Music $500 $5 per second $2.50 per second
Spoken Word $250 $2 per second $1 per second

*Single use, non-exclusive, worldwide market. Multiple use, larger quantities and limited markets negotiable. Contact staff for assistance or for more information.