Copyright and Reference Guidelines
For usage of the Edgar Cayce Readings
The Edgar Cayce readings are copyrighted by the Edgar Cayce Foundation (ECF). The first notice of copyright for the readings was in 1945. The entire set of readings and supplemental material was registered with the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress in 1971. The electronic version of the readings and supplemental material has been copyrighted since 1993, and with each new electronic version of the readings (including background, reports, and indexes). All new or modified material in these versions has been registered. The basic copyright notice in a document quoting from the readings is:
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993-2007
by the Edgar Cayce Foundation
All Rights Reserved
Permission to Use Quotations without Written Permission
Writers and others wishing to quote from the Cayce readings in books or other published literary forms may do so without written permission from ECF if the total word count of all cited Cayce quotations is no more than 500 words. The quotation itself must be presented according to the following conditions:
The material quoted should consist of Cayce’s original wording as given in the reading (available on DVD-Rom or in the Member-Only section’s readings database found at EdgarCayce.org/members).
If original words or phrases are removed (without significantly changing the intended meaning), the omission must be shown with an ellipsis: “…”
If an original word or phrase is replaced or supplemented by another to clarify its meaning, the replacement or supplementary word or phrase must be enclosed in square brackets: “[ ]”
The reading number must be identified in its two parts: e.g., 254-5, identified as “Edgar Cayce reading 254-5.”
In the front pages of the book or elsewhere in the text where the reading is quoted, the following copyright notice should appear:
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993-2007
by the Edgar Cayce Foundation
All Rights Reserved
Although not required, if the author will send a brief courtesy letter or email to ECF with the name of the book or other published product quoting from the readings, this record will be maintained in the ECF archives.
Obtaining Permission to Use More than 500 Words
Any use of readings quotations in excess of 500 words in any literary, digital, or audio format must be approved in writing by the Edgar Cayce Foundation. PLEASE NOTE: Permission is not guaranteed, and the following conditions are required for consideration:
1) A written request must be submitted to:
Edgar Cayce Foundation
Attention: Rights and Permissions
215 67th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451-2061
ecf@edgarcayce.org
We will respond to your request as soon as possible. Please allow 10-14 business days for our initial response.
2) The request must include details about the anticipated final product in which the quotes will be included: Form of publication (e.g., book, article, report, greeting card, web page, quotations within a documentary film, etc.), title, author(s), length of the work (e.g., approximate word count), publisher or other form of distribution, planned number of copies (in first production or printing), and any other information that may assist in defining the intended use and audience.
3) The request must include a list of all verbatim Cayce readings quotations and how they will be used in context. This requirement may be effectively met by sending ECF a copy of all manuscript pages that include Cayce quotes, including the lead-in and follow-on text that show the context in which the quotations are presented.
4) The total word count of Cayce quotations cannot exceed seven (7) percent of the total word count of the final product. Should the product exceed seven percent (such as an “Edgar Cayce book” for a major publisher), then there must be more extended discussion between the author and the staff of ECF. Seldom is permission given for use of the readings in a product so highly dependent on Cayce quotations without a contractual arrangement and fees or royalties.
If ECF grants permission for the use of more than 500 words, a signed letter of permission for use of the quotations will be sent to the author via regular mail. A copy of this letter will be retained in the ECF files on permissions and rights. The letter will include the fact that the following copyright notice must be included (usually opposite the title page):
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993-2007
by the Edgar Cayce Foundation
All Rights Reserved
Permission to Examine or Use Historical Photographs, Sound and Video Recordings, Other Archival Records and Materials
If you are a professional filmmaker or writer and wish to arrange for permission to view, copy, or otherwise use records or materials other than the readings from the archives of the Edgar Cayce Foundation, begin the process with a letter or email to the Archives Coordinator (ecf@edgarcayce.org) with as much information as possible regarding what is being sought and for what purpose. It will usually be necessary to visit ECF to view materials, make copies, scan photographs, etc., after a discussion of the intended use of the material. This access to resources is arranged as a highly individualized process tailored to the needs and merits of the request as well as to the availability of appropriate Edgar Cayce Foundation staff assistance.