Copyright is a form of protection provided to authors of original intellectual works, such as literary, artistic, dramatic and musical works. This protection is granted by the laws of the United States of America in title 17 of the U.S. Code. In order for a work to qualify for copyright protection it must be an original and creative work and it must be fixed in a tangible medium. The Copyright Act of 1976 grants a number of exclusive rights to copyright holders, including:
It is illegal to violate any of these rights held by copyright owners without first obtaining permission. However, some limitations to these rights have been established in Sections 107 through 122 of The Copyright Act of 1976, including educational exceptions. See Exceptions to Copyright for more information.
| Copyright Protected | Not Copyright Protected |
| Literary works | Works that have not been fixed in a tangible form |
| Musical works | Titles, names, short phrases and slogans, familiar symbols or designs |
| Dramatic works | Ideas, facts, data, procedures, methods, etc. |
| Choreographic works | Works consisting entirely of information that is self-evident facts, such as phone books, calendars, etc. |
| Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works | Works created by the United States government |
| Motion pictures and other audiovisual works | Works for which copyright has expired |
| Sound recordings | Works in the public domain |
| Architectural works |