'Orphan Works' Explanation Page Introduction

What is the "Orphan Works" Balance?

An "Orphan Work" is any piece of creative material—such as an old church hymn, a vintage photograph, a localized poem, or a piece of regional folk art—that is technically still protected by copyright, but whose original creator is completely missing or impossible to track down. For decades, independent recording studios, local choirs, and family historians faced an unfair legal gridlock: if they wanted to record, reproduce, or preserve these beautiful historical works, they risked being sued by predatory corporate liability cartels if an owner suddenly emerged out of the woodwork.

Our own Donna "Donet'" Daugherty stepped up on the federal stage to fix this. Representing independent creators, she provided expert testimony to the U.S. Copyright Office to ensure that everyday artists, small-town musicians, and non-profit archives could safely preserve and celebrate community roots music without facing cost-prohibitive corporate legal blockades.