Copyrights protect original works of authorship. Protectable works include literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, whether published or unpublished.
U.S. Copyright laws give the owner of the copyright the exclusive right to do the following:
- Reproduce the work
- Prepare derivative works
- Distribute copies of the work
- Perform the work publicly
- Display the work publicly
- Copyright Laws and Protection
Some limitations and exemptions exist that allow others to perform the actions above without violating the owner’s exclusive rights.