A copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States to the authors of "original works of authorship" including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. A copyright protection subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form.
Form of Copyright Notice for Visually Perceptible Copies
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© 1998 OSU |
Form of Notice for Phonorecords of Sound Recordings
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(P with a circle around it) 1998 OSU |
Unpublished works should have
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Unpublished © 1998 OSU |
Under terms of Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act passed by Congress on October 27, 1997, copyright terms have been generally extended for an additional twenty years. However, these do not affect those works which are already in the public domain.
Created ...
On or After January 1, 1978
Automatically protected from moment of creation and is ordinarily given a term enduring
Before January 1, 1978, but not Published or Registered by this date
Created, but not published or registered have been automatically brought under the statute and are now given Federal Copyright protection.
Published or Registered Before January 1, 1978
Work is protected 28 years from published or registration date. However, during the 28th year, protection was renewable from 28 to 47 years for a total protection of 75 years, BUT
To read the government documentation on copyright law ...US Copyright Office
For more detailed information on the copyright term ... US Copyright Office(Circular 15).
For information concerning the copyright status of a work ... US Copyright Office(Circular 22).
