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Copyright Registration - Literary Works
 Copyright is a federal law, which protects authors of “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible form of expression.” This protection gives the authors the exclusive rights (including authorization of others) with regard to their original works. Copyright registration is an official process to make a permanent public record of your copyright claim. Copyright registration is not required to maintain your copyright ownership or rights; however, it does provide certain additional advantages. This form is for non-dramatic, literary works. Literary works may be published or unpublished and include nondramatic textual works with or without illustrations. Literary works include: fiction, nonfiction, manuscripts, reports, poetry, reports, theses, brochusres, pamphlets, online works, games, automated databases, computer programs and others. Plays, dramas, and screenplays are not in the literary works category. They fall in the Performing Arts category. To use this packet you must meet the following requirements: (i) the work to be registered is an original, nondramatic literary work; (ii) you are the author of the work; (iii) the work was not made for hire; (iv) the work is not a serial or periodical This packet contains: (i) Information about Copyright Protection; (ii) Instructions for the Registration; and (iii) the Registration Form for Non-Dramatic Literary Works. |
Copyright Registration - Visual Arts
| Copyright is a federal law, which protects authors of “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible form of expression.” This protection gives the authors the exclusive rights (including authorization of others) with regard to their original works. Copyright registration is an official process to make a permanent public record of your copyright claim. As discussed below, copyright registration is not required to maintain your copyright ownership or rights; however, it does provide certain additional advantages. This form is for works of visual art. Visual arts are pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art. Examples of Visual Arts include: photography, prints, cartoons, drawings, paintings, diagrams, models, advertisements, maps, dolls, toys, games, jewlery design, original prints, posters, sculptures, and more. Plays, dramas, and screenplays are not in the literary works category. They fall in the Performing Arts category. To use this packet you must meet the following requirements: (i) the work to be registered is an original work of the visual arts; (ii) you are the author of the work; (iii) the work was not made for hire; This packet contains: (i) Information about Copyright Protection; (ii) Instructions for the Registration; and (iii) the Registration Form for Visual Arts Works. |
Copyright Registration - Performing Arts
| Copyright is a federal law, which protects authors of “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible form of expression.” This protection gives the authors the exclusive rights (including authorization of others) with regard to their original works. Copyright registration is an official process to make a permanent public record of your copyright claim. As discussed below, copyright registration is not required to maintain your copyright ownership or rights; however, it does provide certain additional advantages. This form is for works of Performing Arts. Performing arts works are intended to be “performed” directly before an audience or indirectly “by means of any device or process.” Included are (1) musical works, including any accompanying words; (2) dramatic works, such as scripts, including any accompanying music; (3) pantomimes and choreographic works; and (4) motion pictures and other audiovisual works. Performing arts registration is not the same as registering a sound recording. For registration purposes, musical compositions and dramatic works that are recorded on disks or cassettes are works of the performing arts and should be registered on Form PA or Short Form PA. Therefore, if you wish to register only the underlying work that is a musical composition or dramatic work, use Form PA even though you may send a disk or cassette. |