October 24, 2011 Director of U.S. Copyright Office Announces Priorities, Special Projects for Next Two Years

Register of Copyrights Maria A. Pallante today made public her office’s priorities and special projects through October, 2013. The paper articulates 17 priorities in the areas of copyright policy and administrative practice, as well as 10 new projects designed to improve the quality and efficiency of the U.S. Copyright Office’s services in the 21st century.

“Congress has charged the Copyright Office with administering the United States Copyright Act and performing important public services for the nation,” Pallante said. “The work plan presented here reflects the commitment of the office to address current complexities in the copyright system and prepare for future challenges.”

Rogue websites, illegal streaming, small claims, orphan works and library preservation are among the issues the Copyright Office will focus on through research and legislative support for Congress. The document also summarizes the work of the office in global policy, including U.S. trade negotiations, anti-piracy efforts and international discussions of exceptions and limitations.

The administrative practice of the Copyright Office will be particularly active during the next two years. The office has launched the fifth triennial rulemaking involving the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and will spend significant time considering and resolving regulatory issues affecting the copyrightability and registration of websites and other forms of digital authorship.

Maximizing the technical operation of the registration system is one of 10 new projects Pallante announced to help steer the office’s future path. Other projects include a study of the office’s costs and fees for public services, a major revision of the “Compendium of Copyright Office Practices,” increased accessibility to historic copyright records, dialogues and roundtables with members of the copyright marketplace, and research partnerships with the academic community. In addition, the office will bolster its role in educational undertakings, focusing on core principles of copyright law and finding innovative ways to address the growing copyright education needs of the public.

The mission of the U.S. Copyright Office is to promote creativity by administering and sustaining an effective national copyright system. The office serves as the primary legal advisor to Congress on copyright issues and supports the work of agencies throughout the U.S. government. The U.S. Copyright Office was founded in 1870 and is part of the Library of Congress.

The Register’s paper is at www.copyright.gov/docs/priorities.pdf.