Navigating Copyrights: Preserving the Spirit of Troubador Press

Mickey Mouse made his public debut in the 1928 short “Steamboat Willie.”

When I set out to revive Troubador Press, my initial vision was simple: to bring beloved titles from the original Troubador catalog back into print, restoring them for a new generation of readers. The original books are known for their unique blend of art, storytelling, and education and they hold a special place in my heart. I hoped to share that experience with others.

However, as I began exploring the process, I quickly realized that it’s not as straightforward as it may seem. All of the original Troubador Press books are still protected by copyright, and I do not currently have the rights to republish them. These works, though out of print, remain the intellectual property of Penguin Random House.

A bit of history behind Troubador Press catalog which houses about 91 books. In 1981, Malcom Whyte the owner and founder sold Troubador Press to Price Stern Sloan (PSS) but continued as Editorial Director, producing books under the Troubador imprint until 1996. The Putnam Publishing Group (now the Penguin Group, and now part of Penguin Random House) bought Price Stern Sloan in 1993. Though Penguin Random House still publishes titles that used to be published by Price Stern Sloan, they no longer use Price Stern Sloan as an imprint. Many of the Troubador Press books haven’t been reprinted or republished since late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

Securing permission to reprint these books requires navigating a complex landscape of copyright law. In some cases, you have to navigate identifying and contacting heirs or estates, many of whom are challenging to locate. In others, it involves reaching out directly to artists or rights holders to explore potential collaborations or licensing agreements. In the case of Troubador Press the artists/authors used “Work-for-Hire” contracts. Meaning Troubador Press would own the copyrights to the books. So when the company was sold to PSS and than acquired by Puntnam Publishing Group who is now Penguin Random House the entire Troubador Press catalog basically got buried into obscurity due to acquisitions.

I’ve managed to find a lot of the old books on my own using various sources. It iss pretty hard to track down unused coloring books from 40+ years ago! I want to be transparent about this process because I believe it’s important to honor the original brand. My goal is not to reproduce these works without permission but to approach this journey thoughtfully, with integrity and care. While I do own the trademarks for the original name and logo I will continue to try and secure the copyrights for the entire Troubador Press catalog.

In the meantime, my focus remains on building Troubador Press as a space for preserving, archiving, and creating new works inspired by the timeless appeal of classic illustration, storytelling, and design. I hope that by combining archival efforts, collaborative projects, and new creative work, Troubador Press can continue to be a place for discovery, creativity, and appreciation of the stories and art that have shaped us.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I’ll continue to share updates as I navigate this process and explore opportunities for bringing these classic works back to life.

One of the best resources to just get a better understanding of Copyright Term and the Public Domain I like to use the following chart: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/copyright/publicdomain