A copyright originates at the moment a work is created. For a written work, the copyright comes into existence as the words are typed, printed, or saved to a computer disk. For a photograph, the copyright is created at the moment the image is developed. If a photograph is taken with a modern digital camera, the copyright originates at the time the image is saved on a computer disk or on a hard drive.

Copyright protects original works of authorship that are fixed in tangible form. This includes photographs, literary works including non-fiction and fiction, letters, music as well as accompanying lyrics, sound recordings, pictorial, graphic and sculptural works, motion pictures, audiovisual works, computer software, and architectural works. Even such ordinary things such as simple letters, catalog descriptions and doodles are protected by copyright.

The Copyright Act makes allowances for some use of copyright works without the necessity to seek the permission of the copyright owner. First, before copyright can be infringed, a "substantial part" of the work must be taken. A further major limitation to the extent to which the copyright owner can restrict the use of his work is the concept of "fair dealing".

Once you create any musical content it is automatically copyrighted. However, we always recommend that you register your songs with the copyright office, Library of Congress, to protect you in the event of copyright infringement. Your registration will serve as proof legally that you are claiming ownership to your work.

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of "original works of authorship," including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works.

Literary works; dramatic works; musical works & words, pantomimes, choreographic works, artistic (pictorial, graphic, and sculptural) works, motion pictures, audiovisual works, sound recordings, architectural works.

Copyright protection exists in "original works of authorship" that are "fixed in a tangible medium of expression." Among the types of works that are subject to copyright protection are literary, dramatic, musical, choreographic, pictorial, graphic, pantomime, sound recording, sculptural, motion picture, and audio-visual. These categories include reference works (including dictionaries), video cassettes, and computer programs and databases.

author may sell, assign, license, bequeath or otherwise transfer his or her copyright to another party, such as a publisher or heir.

Both Google and U.Va. are very respectful of copyright law. Neither partner will make full text versions of in-copyright materials available to the public. Google has specifically designed Book Search to comply with copyright laws. Anyone will be able to freely view, browse, and read public domain books.

Titles, names, short phrases, slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographical ornamentation, lettering, coloring; mere listings of ingredients or contents.

No. The project's editors take serious note of copyright laws, and only works that are in the public domain (that is, according to Israeli law, works whose authors have died over seventy years ago) are included in the project, unless express permission has been granted by copyright holders to include a work before the copyright on it has expired.

The project will dramatically increase Internet access to the public-domain holdings of the Harvard University Library, which, as the largest academic library in the world, includes more than 15.8 million public-domain and copyrighted volumes in approximately 90 physical locations. The project will enable readers to use keyword searching to locate works that are of interest to them and to read out-of-copyright books online.

In theory when you write something, it is copyrighted. No further steps are required to protect your intellectual property. In reality it might be difficult to prove that you are the genuine author without extra evidence. You can officially register your work with U.S. Copyright Office for $30 (application process takes 4-5 months).

This collection of information is (C) Copyright 1997 (and later) by Stan Rohrer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for personal non-profit use. Additional copies and distribution require the express written consent of Stan Rohrer. Some information within this collection may be otherwise copyrighted and remains in the possession of those holders where that is the case.