Research Guides: Copyright: Copyright Basics (original) (raw)

Understanding copyright helps you protect your own creative work and respect the rights of others. This section outlines the basics of U.S. copyright law, what types of works are protected, and how long those protections last.

What Is Copyright?

Copyright law grants creators a set of exclusive rights over their original works for a limited period. It allows them to benefit from their creations while also including exemptions that let the public use copyrighted material under specific circumstances.

Reproduce the work
Distribute or sell copies of the work
Prepare derivative works (such as translations or an audiobook version)
Perform the work (recite, act, or play)
Display the work
License any of these rights to third parties
Transfer or give away copyright entirely

What Works Are Copyrightable?

For a work to be protected by copyright, it must meet two criteria:

Creativity: The work must contain at least a minimal amount of creativity.
Fixed form: The work must be captured in a tangible medium, such as paper, a computer file, or a recording.

Examples of copyrightable works include:

Literary works
Computer software
Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works (e.g., paintings, drawings, carvings, photographs, clothing designs)
Architectural works (buildings, blueprints, drawings, diagrams, models)
Sound recordings (songs, music, spoken word, or other recordings)
Audiovisual works (films, videos, video games)
Pantomimes and choreographic works
Dramatic works and accompanying music (plays and musicals)

Not all works are copyrightable. Ideas, concepts, procedures, and methods are not protected by copyright. U.S. federal government documents are also in the public domain and not subject to copyright protection.

How Long Does Copyright Last?

Individual works: Generally, the life of the author plus 70 years.
Corporate or institutional works: 120 years from creation or 95 years from publication, whichever is later.