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What works have expired into the public domain?

•All works published in the U.S. before 1923 •All works published with a copyright notice from 1923 through 1963 without copyright renewal •All works published without a copyright notice from 1923 through 1977 •All works published without a copyright notice from 1978 through March 1, 1989, and without subsequent registration within 5 years

Who owns the copyright?

•Author/Creator •Author/Creator's heirs if the creator is dead (living family) •Creators of a joint work automatically share copyright ownership unless there is a contrary agreement. •Anyone to whom the author/creator has given or assigned his or her copyright (e.g., an employer if the copyrighted work is created under a "work made for hire" agreement, a publisher or record company if the copyrighted work is given in exchange for a publishing or recording contract). Usually this means that the author/creator has given up his or her own copyright in the work.

How long does copyright last?

•For original works created after 1977, copyright lasts for the life of author/creator + 70 years from the author's death for his/her heirs. •For "works made for hire" corporate works and anonymous works created after 1977, copyright can last from 95-120 years from publication.

What types of works are protected by copyright

•Literary works •Music and lyrics •Dramatic works and music •Pantomimes and choreographic works •Photographs, graphics, paintings and sculptural works •Motion pictures and other audiovisual works •Video games and computer software •Audio recordings •Architectural works

What is not protected by copyright

•Unfixed works that have not been recorded in a tangible, fixed form (e.g., a song you made up and sang in the shower) •Work in the public domain (see below) •Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; numbers •Ideas and facts •Processes and systems (e.g., the Dewey decimal system) •Federal government works (e.g., the tax code)

What is copyright?

Copyright is a form of legal protection automatically provided to the authors of "original works of authorship," including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works.

How does fair use fit with copyright law?

Copyright law embodies a bargain. It gives copyright holders a set of exclusive rights for a limited time period as an incentive to create works that ultimately enrich society as a whole. In exchange for this limited monopoly, creators enrich society by, hopefully, contributing to the growth of science, education and the arts.

When does copyright start? Do I have to register the work with the government?

Copyright status is automatic upon creation of your original creative work in a fixed, tangible form. Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office is not necessary for copyright status and protection, though registration is needed in order to pursue an infringement claim in court

What has been recognized as fair use?

Criticism & Commentary,Parody,News reporting,Scholarship and Research,Time-shifting

Are there any copyright limitations?

Fair Use allows the public to use portions of copyrighted work without permission from the copyright owner. To decide whether a use is a fair use, courts look at four factors

Who owns the copyright in recorded music?

It depends. If a person writes a song and records it, that person is the creator and owns the copyright. But professionally produced music can have many copyright owners. For example, the copyright to a particular sound recording may be owned by the songwriter, the performer, the producer, a record label, a publisher, or a combination thereof

If I have an idea in my head, is it automatically copyrighted

No, ideas are not copyrightable. Only tangible forms of expression (e.g., a book, play, drawing, film, or photo, etc.) are copyrightable. Once you express your idea in a fixed form — as a digital painting, recorded song, or even scribbled on a napkin — it is automatically copyrighted if it is an original work of authorship.

When I buy music, either online or offline, do I get copyright in the work?

No, when you buy music, you own that copy of the music. If you bought a CD, you are allowed to sell that particular copy or make fair uses of it, but you don't own a copyright in the music itself. If you bought a song on iTunes or other service, your ownership of it may be subject to certain restrictions

How does a creator dedicate a work to the public domain

One way to dedicate a work to the public domain in the U.S. is to use the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication. Note that interpretation of a dedication may vary in countries outside of the Uni,Scholarship and Researchted States.

What about plagiarism?

Plagiarism and copyright each address the legitimacy of copying, but plagiarism and copyright differ in important ways. While plagiarism is concerned with the protection of ideas, copyright doesn't protect ideas - it protects "fixed expressions of ideas."

What is the public domain?

Public domain works are not restricted by copyright and do not require a license or fee to use. Public domain status allows the user unrestricted access and unlimited creativity

What is fair use?

The Copyright Act gives copyright holders the exclusive right to reproduce works for a limited time period. Fair use is a limitation on this right. Fair use allows people other than the copyright owner to copy part or, in some circumstances, all of a copyrighted work, even where the copyright holder has not given permission or objects.

Where can I find public domain works

The sites below will guide you to a cultural wealth of public domain books, images, illustrations, audio, and films where the copyright term has expired or the creator has not renewed the license. Remember, public domain works are free and available for unrestricted use. Enjoy and be creative!

How does the court know if a use is fair?

Whether a use is fair will depend on the specific facts of the use. Note that attribution has little to do with fair use; unlike plagiarism, copyright infringement (or non-infringement) doesn't depend on whether you give credit to the source from which you copied. Fair use is decided by courts on a case-by-case basis after balancing the four factors listed in section 107 of the Copyright Act

How do I formally register my original, creative work?

You can fill out the form and submit a filing fee at the U.S. Copyright Office website