Page:Copyright Office Compendium 3rd Edition - Full.djvu/382

 : Chapter 700

701&emsp;What This Chapter Covers

This Chapter discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for the examination and registration of. For information and instructions on completing an application to register a literary work (or any other type of work), see the following Chapters:


 * For a general overview of the registration process, see.
 * For a discussion of subject matter, see.
 * For guidance in determining who may file the application and who may be named as the, see.
 * For guidance in identifying the work that will be submitted for registration, see.
 * For instructions on completing the application, see.
 * For guidance on the, see.
 * For guidance on submitting the, see.

702&emsp;The Literary Division

The Literary Division (“LIT”) of the U.S. Copyright Office handles applications to register literary works. The in this division specialize in the examination and registration of these types of works, including, , and.

703&emsp;What Is a Literary Work?

The Copyright Act defines a as “works, other than audiovisual works, expressed in words, numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia, regardless of the nature of the material objects, such as books, periodicals, manuscripts, phonorecords, film, tapes, disks, or cards, in which they are embodied.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.

A literary work is a nondramatic work that explains, describes, or narrates a particular subject, theme, or idea through the use of narrative, descriptive, or explanatory text, rather than dialog or dramatic action. Generally, nondramatic literary works are intended to be read; they are not intended to be performed before an audience. Examples of nondramatic literary works include the following types of works: Chapter 700 : 5