Copyright Office

U.S. Copyright Office: NewsNet

U.S Copyright Office alerts on hearings, deadlines for comments, new and proposed regulations, new publications, and other copyright-related subjects.

• Librarian of Congress Extends Existing Classes of Works Exempt from Prohibition on Circumvention
  The Librarian of Congress is extending, on an interim basis, the existing classes of works with respect to which the prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works shall not apply when persons engage in noninfringing uses.
• Notice of Inquiry and Request for Comments on Facilitating Access to Copyrighted Works for the Blind or Other Persons with Disabilities
  The Copyright Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office seek comment on possible solutions to enhance the accessibility of copyrighted works for the benefit of the blind or other persons with disabilities.
• Copyright Office Extends Deadline for Comments on Mandatory Deposit for Electronic Works Published Only Online
  The Copyright Office is extending the time in which reply comments may be filed in response to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding amendments to regulations governing mandatory deposit of electronic works published in the United States and available only online.

U.S. Copyright Office: Website Updates

U.S. Copyright Office is an office of public record for copyright registration and deposit of copyright material.

• Planned eCO Service Outage
  eCO, the Copyright Office online system for filing copyright registrations, will be unavailable from 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 4 until 12 noon on Saturday, September 5, eastern time, while the Library of Congress performs a critical equipment installation.
• Copyright Licensing in a Digital Age:
  Competition, Compensation and the Need to Update the Cable and Satellite TV Licenses.

U.S. Copyright Office: Current Legislation

U.S Copyright Office notices of current copyright-related legislation.

• H.R. 3570 Satellite Home Viewer Update and Reauthorization Act of 2009
  To amend title 17, United States Code, to reauthorize the satellite statutory license, to conform the satellite and cable statutory licenses to all-digital transmissions, and for other purposes.
• S. 1670 Satellite Television Modernization Act of 2009
  To reform and modernize the limitations on exclusive rights relating to secondary transmissions of certain signals.
• H.R. 3216 Local Television Freedom Act of 2009
  To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to permit the retransmission of signals of local television broadcast stations in an adjacent underserved county, and for other purposes.
• P.L. 111-36 Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009
  To amend section 114 of title 17, United States Code, to provide for agreements for the reproduction and performance of sound recordings by webcasters.

U.S. Copyright Office: Federal Register Notices

U.S. Copyright Office announcements, rules, proposed rules, and other notices published in the Federal Register.

• Notice of Inquiry and Request for Comments on Facilitating Access to Copyrighted Works for the Blind or Other Persons with Disabilities
  The Copyright Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office seek comment on possible solutions to enhance the accessibility of copyrighted works for the benefit of the blind or other persons with disabilities.
• Fees for Special Handling of Registration Claims; Temporary rule
  The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress is publishing an interim rule relating to fees for special handling of registration claims that have been pending for at least six months.
• Mandatory Deposit of Published Electronic Works Available Only Online
  The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress is proposing to <br>amend its regulations governing mandatory deposit of electronic works published in the United States and available only online.
• Notification of Agreements Under the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009
  The Copyright Office is publishing an agreement which sets rates and terms for the reproduction and performance of sound recordings made by certain specified webcasters, under two statutory licenses.