According to the U.S. Copyright Office, a copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression. In copyright law, there are a lot of different types of works, including paintings, photographs, illustrations, musical compositions, sound recordings, computer programs, books, poems, blog posts, movies, architectural works, plays and more. Copyright law is codified in Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The United States Copyright Office website provides information on how to apply for a copyright, how to search for a copyright, how to copyright various works, including music and art, and more. This site is also where you will go to begin the copyright application process.
The U.S. Copyright Officeregisters copyright claims, records information about copyright ownership, provides information to the public, and assists Congress and other parts of the government on a wide range of copyright issues, both simple and complex. Below are some helpful resources about the copyright process:
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