Q. How do I find out who owns the copyright for a particular work?

Most works contain a notice of copyright. You should consult both the page containing the copyright notice as well as any acknowledgement pages in the work. If you have a photocopy or other reproduction that does not contain a notice of copyright or acknowledgements, you should consult an original copy of the work to determine if the original has the information you need. The information contained in such a copyright notice may not always reflect accurately the identity of the current copyright owner of the material in question. Contacting the publisher is the best method to determine copyright ownership.

See also the FAQ on this subject provided by the U.S. Copyright Office.

Since March 1, 1989, notice of copyright is optional, so the absence of a copyright notice does not mean the material can be freely copied.