September 24, 2024 Library of Congress Announces New Members of Copyright Public Modernization Committee

The Library of Congress announced today the new membership of the Copyright Public Modernization Committee, which has been renewed for a second three-year term. The Copyright Public Modernization Committee was established to enhance communication with stakeholders and provide a public forum for the technology-related aspects of U.S. Copyright Office modernization. 

The first Copyright Public Modernization Committee meeting of the new term will be hosted by the Library on Oct. 10, 2024.

Members of the public were invited to apply for Copyright Public Modernization Committee membership in a Federal Register notice earlier this year. Committee members were selected from a pool of applicants for their ability to represent a broad cross-section of the copyright community and other interested groups. They will provide feedback to the Library on both Copyright Office technology systems and broader Library technology systems that interface with and/or support Copyright Office operations. Discussion will cover the development of the new Enterprise Copyright System, which includes the Copyright Office’s registration, recordation, public records, and licensing IT applications.

The Copyright Public Modernization Committee will convene for at least two virtual or hybrid open forums a year through 2027 to publicly share information and answer questions. The new members are:

Name	Affiliation
Sara Benson	University of Illinois
Todd Carpenter	National Information Standards Organization
Terrica Carrington	Motion Picture Association
Susan Chertkof	Recording Industry Association of America
Shanna Hollich	Creative Commons
Becca Jones	Anthem Entertainment Group
Roy Kaufman	Copyright Clearance Center
Keith Kupferschmid	Copyright Alliance
Melissa Levine	University of Michigan Library
Joe Naylor	ImageRights International, Inc.
Trevor Owens	American Institute of Physics
Jeff Sedlik	Picture Licensing Universal System (PLUS) Coalition
Regan Smith	News/Media Alliance

The first public meeting of the Copyright Public Modernization Committee will take place virtually on Oct. 10 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET.  Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter and Library of Congress Chief Information Officer Judith Conklin will provide remarks, and Library subject-matter experts will provide updates on the development of the Enterprise Copyright System, including registration functionalities. Time will be allotted to allow for questions by the Copyright Public Modernization Committee members and, time permitting, from those viewing this event. The meeting will be recorded and made available for viewing.

This virtual public forum is free and open to the public. Viewers must register in advance to attend. Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

To view content from previous Copyright Public Modernization Committee meetings and learn more about the continuous development of Copyright Office IT systems, visit copyright.gov/continuous-development/. Copyright Office IT modernization is a joint effort between the U.S. Copyright Office and the Library of Congress Office of the Chief Information Officer.  

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States, and extensive materials from around the world, both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.