is generally considered to be in the public domain and not   subject   to   copyright   laws.   However,   when copyrighted  material  is  used  (with  permission)  in  a government publication, it cannot be reproduced by a private  citizen  or  in  another  government  publication without  again  requesting  permission  from  the  copyright owner.   Copyrighted   material   in   a   government publication   must   have   a   statement   identifying   the copyright  holder  and  indicating  that  permission  has been granted for its use. COPYRIGHT   OWNERSHIP Copyright protection exists from the time the work is created in fixed form; that is, it is an incident of the process  of  authorship.  The  copyright  in  the  work  of authorship  immediately  becomes  the  property  of  the author who created it. Only the author or those deriving their  rights  through  the  author  can  rightfully  claim copyright. In the case of works made for hire, as is the case when  military  personnel  or  civilian  employees  of  the federal  government  author  a  “work”  on  government time,   the   employer   and   not   the   employee   is presumptively  considered  the  author.  Section  101  of  the copyright statute defines a “work made for hire” as the following: 1.  A  work  prepared  by  an  employee  within  the scope of his employment. 2.  A  work  specially  ordered  or  commissioned  for use as a contribution to a collective work, as a part of a motion  picture  or  other  audiovisual  work,  as  a translation, as a supplementary work, as a compilation, as an instructional text, as a test, as answer material for a test or as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire. The  authors  of  a  joint  work  are  co-owners  of  the copyright in the work unless there is an agreement to the contrary. Copyright   in   each   separate   contribution   to   a periodical  or  other  collective  work  is  distinct  from copyright in the collective work as a whole and vests initially with the author of the contribution. Mere ownership of a book, manuscript, painting or any   other   copy   or   phonorecord   does   not   give   the possessor the copyright. The law provides that transfer of  ownership  of  any  material  object  that  embodies  a protected work does not of itself convey any rights in the copyright. Minors  may  claim  copyright,  but  state  laws  may regulate  the  business  dealings  involving  copyrights owned  by  minors.  For  information  on  relevant  state laws, you may wish to contact your local bar association. COPYRIGHT   AVAILABILITY Copyright   protection   is   available   for   all unpublished   works   regardless   of   the   nationality   or domicile  of  the  author. Published   works   are   eligible   for   copyright protection   in   the   United   States   if   any   one   of   the following  conditions  is  met: l l l l On the date of first publication, one or more of the  authors  is  a  national  or  domiciliary  of  the United  States  or  is  a  national,  domiciliary  or sovereign authority of a foreign nation that is a party to a copyright treaty to which the United States  also  is  a  party  or  is  a  stateless  person wherever that person may be domiciled. The work is first published in the United States or  in  a  foreign  nation  that,  on  the  date  of  first publication, is a party to the Universal Copyright Convention;  or  the  work  comes  within  the  scope of a presidential proclamation. The work is first published on or after March 1, 1989, in a foreign nation that on the date of first publication, is a party to the Berne Convention; or, if the work is not first published in a country party to the Berne Convention, it is published (on or after March 1, 1989) within 30 days of first publication in a country that is party to the Berne Convention. The work is first published on or after March 1, 1989,  and  is  a  pictorial,  graphic,  or  sculptural work   that   is   incorporated   in   a   permanent structure located in the United States; or, if the work, first published on or after March 1, 1989, is  a  published  audiovisual  work  and  all  the authors are legal entities with headquarters in the United  States. SECURING A COPYRIGHT The way in which copyright protection is secured under the present law is frequently misunderstood. No publication  or  registration  or  any  other  action  in  the Copyright Office is required for copyright to be secured under the new law. This differs from the old law, which 10-11