copyright ownership query

If a publication has been sold with the copyright (Science 1984 & 1985- special issues) to a company (Discover) that is now defunct (not the magazine itself) does the copyright on those issues go back to the authors of the articles. We have contacted both Science and Discover who say that they don't own the copyright any longer. If we want to use the articles, would we have to contact each author individually? This is for a library's reserve (electronic) project.

Thanks,

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Merilyn Burke               Phone: 813-974-4561
mburke[_at_]lib.usf.edu     Fax:   813-974-3016
Head, Access Services  University of South Florida Library
4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620