Barbara and Mike Bass Library
Copyright is a form of intellectual property governed by U.S. Constitutional law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright protection includes both published and unpublished works.
Copyright Protected:
A copyright is a property right in an original work of authorship. Copyright protection exists from the moment a work is created in a fixed, tangible form and is not dependent on a copyright symbol, registration, or publication. Only the author, or those deriving their rights through the author, can rightfully claim copyright under Title 17, U.S. Code. Copyright allows authors the exclusive right to reproduce their work, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, publicly perform or display the work. Unauthorized use and reproduction is prohibited unless one or more limited exemptions apply (See Fair Use Guidelines below).
A work created on or after January 1, 1978, is ordinarily protected by copyright from the moment of its creation until 70 years after the author's death. For works created, published, or registered before January 1, 1978, those works fall under public domain.
Public domain comprises all works that are either no longer protected by copyright or never were. It should not be confused with the mere fact that a work is publicly available (such as information in books or periodicals, or content on the Internet). Essentially, all works first published in the United States before 1923 are considered to be in the public domain in the United States. The public domain also extends to works published between 1923 and 1963 on which copyright registrations were not renewed.
Please refer to Lorain County Community College Policies and Procedures.
Section II General Administration Subsection 400
