712.1 What Is a Literary Monograph?
A literary monograph is a literary work that is “published in one volume or a finite number of volumes.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.19 (B) (5). Examples of works that may qualify as a monograph include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, short stories, memoirs, textbooks, and other types of nondramatic literary works.
Most monographs are published in a single volume, rather than a series of successive issues or parts. Some monographs are published in separate volumes with each bearing the same title and successive numerical designations (as in the case of a multi-volume encyclopedia). But typically the entire work is published in a limited number of volumes that, taken together, constitute the work as a whole. See Simplifying Deposit Requirements for Certain Literary Works and Musical Compositions, 82 Fed. Reg. 38,859, 38,860 (Aug. 16, 2017).
NOTE: Serials and legal publications are not considered monographs for purposes of registration. For information concerning the registration requirements for these types of works, see Sections 712.2 and 717.1.