A copyright is a property right
attached to an original work of art or literature. It grants the author or
creator exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, adapt, perform, or display
the protected work. Other than someone to whom the author/creator has extended
all or part of these rights, no one else may use, copy, or alter the work.
Wrongful use of the material gives the copyright owner the right to seek and
recover compensation in a court of law. A copyright gives the author or
owner the right of control over all forms of reproduction, including
photocopies, slides, recordings on cassettes and videotapes, compact disks, and
other digital formats