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Copyright law (US Code 17 Section 102b) does not protect the following:

• Items not creative enough
• Ideas / Expressions
• Works in the public domain
• Works that qualify under fair use

Items not creative enough

Copyright act does not protect any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in an original work.

Ideas / Expressions

Copyright law does not protect ideas and facts themselves. Ideas are works that have not been fixed to a tangible medium and are therefore not protected.

Works in the Public Domain

Works in the public domain are not protected and therefore can be used without obtaining permission. Works in the public domain include:

• Works whose copyright has expired
• All published works created before 1923
• All unpublished works created before 1883
• Works published by the federal government

A chart to identify if a work is in the public domain is available from Cornell University.

A collection of public domain resources is available from Washington State University

Works that qualify under fair use

Fair use provides an exception to the exclusive rights of the copyright owner and works covered by fair use may be copied without the permission of the copyright owner.