Copyright law, as defined in Title 17 of the United States Code, protects "original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression" for a limited period. Copyright protection allows the copyright owner to:
Reproduce the work
Prepare derivative works
Distribute copies of the work by sale, transfer of ownership, rent, lease or lending
Perform the work publicly
Copyright protection is automatic. Individuals do not have to register their works with the U.S. Copyright Office or place a copyright notice on their works for copyright protection to apply, though they are encourage to do so.
Copyright applies both to traditional media (books, records, etc.) and to digital media (electronic journals, web sites, etc.). Specifically, it protects the following eight categories of works:
Literary Works
Musical Works
Dramatic Works
Pantomimes and Choreographic Works
Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works
Motion Pictures and Other Audiovisual Works
Sound Recordings
Architectural Works
Ownership of a copyrighted work includes the right to control the use of that work. Others may use the work, but to do so requires either permission from the author or reliance on the doctrine of fair use. Failure to do one or the other will expose the user to a claim of copyright infringement.
Some materials are not eligible for protection under Copyright Law and include:
Works not fixed in a tangible form of expression (examples include performances that have not been written or recorded).
Titles, names, short phrases and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, coloring, listings of ingredients or contents. (examples include friend chicken recipes or a smiley face)
Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devices, as distinguished from a description, explanation, or illustrations.
Works with information that is common property and contain no original authorship (examples include standard calendars or height and weight charts).