Copyright Resources: Finding Tips

Library of Congress Call Numbers

American copyright law generally is classified within the call numbers KF2986-3080. There are, however, some important exceptions that are worth noting:

1. Computer and Multimedia Law: Many resources that deal with copyright as it is applied to computers, computer programs and otherwise digitally-created works are classified within the KF390.5 range, or the KF3145 range.
2. Copyright & Licensing: Copyright as it applies in a licensing context may be classified at KF2979 or KF3145.
   

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Major Topics

• Copyright - Cases - United States
• Copyright - Infringement - United States
• Copyright - Periodicals
• Copyright - United States
• Copyright - United States - Cases
• Copyright - United States - History
• Copyright - United States - Periodicals
  

Subtopics

• Authors and publishers - United States
• Design protection - United States
• Fair use (Copyright) - United States
• Public domain (Copyright law) - United States
  

Related Headings

• Computers - Law and legislation - United States
• Copyright and electronic data processing - United States
• Copyright - Broadcasting rights - United States
• Copyright - Computer programs - United States
• Copyright - Databases - United States
• Copyright - Motion pictures - United States
• Copyright - Music - United States
• Copyright - Performing rights - United States
• Copyright - Social aspects - United States
• Copyright - Sound recordings - United States
• Data protection - Law and legislation - United States
• Intellectual Property - United States
• Intellectual Property - Social aspects - United States
• License Agreements - United States
• Multimedia systems - Law and legislation - United States
• Multimedia systems industry - Law and legislation - United States

United States Copyright Office

The United States Copyright Office advises and assists Congress on copyright law and other intellectual property issues, and assists in the drafting of copyright legislation. The Office's website is the best single source of information about the American copyright process.

From the website, you can access primers on the Copyright Act and how it applies to different forms of media, get legislative information, view the Copyright Act in whole or in part, and download registration forms (many of which you can complete online before you print them out).

The following pages are particularly valuable information resources:

• About the Copyright Office: Includes a brief audiovisual history of the Copyright Office, location and contact information, organizational charts and press releases.
• Copyright Basics: This document is a useful introduction to American copyright law and process. It adapted from the Office's Circular 1. (A complete Circular 1 is available in an Adobe Acrobat format.) A Spanish version of this page also is available.
• Information Circulars: All of the Office's publications circulars and factsheets are available for reading and download. Most of the documents are both in HTML and Adobe Acrobat versions.
• Copyright Laws: Provides all of Title 17 of the United States Code in HTML and Adobe Acrobat formats. Users can download the entire Title and amendments, or specific Chapters, in both formats.
• Copyright Records: The Office allows users to search registrations and ownership documents from 1978 to the present. This page also links to two related Circulars.