Copyright provides legal protection for published and unpublished original works of authorship. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs making photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Each works' time under copyright varies and the Title 17, Chapter 3 specifies these durations.
It is your responsibility to follow this law, but if you have questions or need additional details, please reach out to one of our librarians.
Protected Under Copyright |
Not Protected Under Copyright |
- Literary works
- Musical works, including any accompanying words
- Dramatic works, including any accompanying music
- Pantomimes and choreographic works
- Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
- Motion pictures and other audiovisual works
- Sound recordings, which are works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds
- Architectural works
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- Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, or discoveries
- Works that are not fixed in a tangible form
- Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans
- Familiar symbols or designs
- Mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring
- Mere listings of ingredients or contents
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