What is Copyright

Copyright is a form of legal protection that allows authors, photographers, composers, and other creators to control reproduction, distribution, and other uses of their work.

There are multiple different rights. In general, the copyright holder has the right to do and to authorize others to do the following:

• Reproduce/copy the work in the whole or in part
• Prepare derivative works, such as translations, dramatizations, and musical arrangements
• Distribute copies of the work by license, gift, rental, or loan
• Publicly perform the work
• Publicly display the work

These rights have exceptions and limitations, including the "fair use" provisions, which allow certain uses without permission of the copyright holder.