Excerpts from the “The Copyright Book: A Practical Guide

Fourth Edition by William S. Strong

How Is Registration Accomplished?

“An application for registration has three components: the registration form, the filing fee, and deposit of copies of the work.”

The Form

“The registration form used will vary depending on the type of work being registered.  For a nondramatic literary work other than a periodical or serial work, use form TX; for a periodical or serial work, use form SE; for a dramatic work or any other work of the performing arts (including music, dance, and film, among others), use form PA, unless you also own copyright in the sound recording of the work and are simultaneously registering your sound recording copyright, in which case you should use form SR; for a work of the visual arts (not including film or other audiovisual works), or an architectural work, use form VA; for a sound recording, use form SR. 

For a computer program or database use form TX, unless the audiovisual displays are the predominant part of the work, as they might be in a video game.  In such a case use form PA.  These forms do not vary much in content, but each requests information that is especially important to the type of work it covers.

These forms are available from the “Information and Publications Section, Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20559, or can be ordered by telephone at (202) 287-9100.”

You can purchase the book:

The Copyright Book: A Practical Guide

Fourth Edition by William S. Strong

At:

MIT Press Journals

55 Hayward Street

Cambridge, MA  02142-1339

USA

ISBN: 0-262-19330-2