Subject Guide: Copyright

• United States Code, Title 17 – The text of the copyright law itself.
• List of Library of Congress Information Circulars and Factsheets - Provides basic information about registration, fees, compulsory licenses, and other aspects of the copyright process.  All are available in PDF format.
• Berne Convention, the International Copyright Treaty, which the US signed on to in 1989.
• Digital Millenium Copyright Act  - A large PDF with the actual text of the act.  This copy is provided by the Library of Congress Copyright Office.

• Title 17, Sect. 107 – The text of the Fair Use portion of the Copyright code.
• Music Library Association’s Fair Use Statement – This explains fair use as it applies to music materials.
• SULAIR : Copyright & Fair Use – From the Stanford University Libraries, an overview of copyright, fair use, academic permissions, and more.  It includes a section entitled Rules for Reproducing Music.
• Guidelines for Educational Uses of Music – Part of the University of Texas “Copyright Crash Course.”
• Public Domain Information Project - A useful site that includes lists of songs that have moved into the public domain, and a list of resources that can be used to prove something is in the public domain. Provides links to legal and copyright-related sites for further research, and an extensive list of sites with materials that are copyright free.

Scores, recordings, and live performances all have different copyright restrictions.  These sites help clarify those differences.

• Music Education Copyright Center – A great starting point for the curious or the confused.  Includes a helpful FAQ section
• Music Library Association's Copyright Guide - Includes a list of online resources and an excellent FAQ section. 
• Who Owns the Rights? Copyright, the Law and Licensing the Show
  Information on plays and musicals. Topics include "What You Can and Cannot Do" and "Resources for copyright and licensing information."

Consult these agencies and associations to learn more about licensing music for use or performance.

• Music Publishers' Association of the United States - Includes a Copyright Resource Center which offers forms needed to obtain permission to arrange music, copy out-of- print music, or report a copyright violation. Also offers documents on copyright issues and a list of additional web links, and an FAQ section.
• The Harry Fox Agency - HFA was established by the National Music Publishers' Association to provide an information source, clearinghouse and monitoring service for licensing musical copyrights. HFA licenses the largest percentage of the uses of music in the United States on CDs, digital services, records, tapes and imported phonorecords. See HFA's Licensing and FAQ Lists.
• ASCAP - Information on copyright and performing rights.
  • Licensing FAQ
  • Internet Licensing
  • ASCAP Clearance Express
    (ACE is a database of song titles licensed by ASCAP in the United States)
  • Fairness in Music Licensing
  • History of Music Licensing
  • Resources on Copyright and Songwriting
  • The Importance of Copyright to Music Creators
• BMI - Under its "Licenses/Customers" section, please see the General Licensing FAQ.

Resources for registering your own work with the U.S. Copyright Office.

• U.S. Copyright Office
• Circular 50: Copyright Registration of Musical Compositions
• Circular 56: Copyright Registration of Sound Recordings