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. 

The Copyright Act states that works of authorship include the following types of works:

• Literary works.
• Musical works.
• Dramatic works.
• Pantomimes and choreographic works.
• Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works.
• Motion pictures and other audiovisual works.
• Sound recordings.
• Architectural works.

Individuals are responsible for insuring compliance with all state and federal copyright laws. Copyrighted materials cannot be reproduced without written permission for the copyright holder.

For more detailed information on copyrights and copyright law is available from the U.S. Copyright Office.