• Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Poetry
• Directories
• Catalogs
• Textbooks
• Reference works
• Advertising copy
• Book jackets
• Instructional works
• Compilations of information
• Computer programs
• Videogames
• Databases
• Serials
See 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(l)(i).
To register an unpublished literary work, the applicant generally should submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work. See 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(f).
To register a literary work that was first published in the United States on or after January 1, 1978, the applicant generally should submit two complete copies or phonorecords of the best edition of the work. See id. § 202.20(c)(l)(iii).
As discussed in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular work are listed in the "Best Edition Statement" set forth in Appendix B to Part 202 of the Office's regulations. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office's website in Circular 7B: Best Edition of Published Copyrighted Works for the Collections of the Library of Congress (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
To register a literary work published in both electronic and hard copy formats, the applicant should submit complete copies of the best edition in the hard copy format. If the work was published solely in electronic format, the applicant may submit digital file(s) containing a complete copy of the work, provided that the requirements set forth in Section 1507.2 have been met.
There are exceptions to these rules for certain types of literary works. The deposit requirements for these types of works are discussed in Sections 1509.1(A) through 1509.1(J).
Section 1509.1 (K) contains a series of charts that summarize the deposit requirements for these types of works. For detailed information on the copyrightability and registration of literary works, see Chapter 700.
1509.1(A) Book Jackets
To register a claim in the text, artwork, or other copyrightable material that appears only on a book jacket, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the jacket. The
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