HOW TO CHECK IF A QUOTE/SAYING HAS COPYRIGHT

[GLENDARTIST]

How do I check if various quotes and sayings have been copyrighted?
I have produced two small books which include various quotes, sayings against my original illustrations. I need to check many of them as I don't know who wrote them. One, for example, is a quote by Pooh Bear. Other things are by Tolstoy, How do I ask permission regarding so many various items?

[AndyJ]

Hi glendartist,

You location says you are in Belgrade. Is that where you wish to publish your book? Because if so, you would need to make sure that what you want to do is permitted under Serbian copyright law.

Under UK law quoting relatively small phrases without needing permission is allowed by virtue of the fair dealing exception introduced last October.

It would appear from the following official English translation of the Serbian copyright law that short quotations may also be permissable under Serbian law:

Article 49
Short excerpts of a work of authorship, or individual short copyright protected works, may be reproduced or be communicated to the public (right of quotation), without the author’s permission and without paying remuneration, on the following conditions:

• 1) The work has been disclosed;
  2) The mentioned parts or short works, are integrated into another work without alterations, for the sake of illustration, confirmation or reference, with a clear indication that a reference is involved and in compliance with the fair practices;
  3) The name of the quoted author, the title of the quoted work and when and where the quoted work was disclosed or published are noted in a suitable place, if those data are known.

I have no idea of what constitutes 'short' in this context, and so I suggest you check with a local lawyer who has experience in this area of law. However I would be surprised if the sort of phrases and sayings you wish to quote were not entirely covered by this exception.