IP Law Daily, COPYRIGHT NEWS: Copyright Office Adopts Interim Regulations to Allow Groups of Related Serial Issues to be Filed Electronically, (Nov 8, 2012)
Organizations Mentioned:Library of Congress
By Peter Reap, J.D., LLM.
The Copyright Office has adopted interim regulations to allow groups of related serial issues to be filed through the Office’s electronic registration system. The interim rule will also allow applicants for groups of related serials, in certain circumstances, to mail physical deposit copies of the serial issues upon submitting an electronic application and payment, when electronic deposit copies do not exist.
Regardless of the registration option chosen, applicants must still send two complimentary subscription copies of the serial promptly to the Library of Congress as a condition of eligibility unless directed otherwise by the Office. While filing electronically is not mandatory, the Copyright Office strongly urges applicants to use the electronic filing option since it is more efficient for both the user and the agency.
Since the middle of 2007, the Copyright Office has offered and encouraged the option of submitting applications for copyright registration online. When this electronic system was implemented, it was limited to basic registrations, i.e., claims in single works, while the capacity to process online group registration options was being developed. Applicants for group registration were required to use the existing paper forms.
In 2009, a limited pilot project allowed groups of related serials to be filed electronically. This pilot project involved modifying the information provided on the basic electronic application to obtain information about the group of related serials. Revisions to the electronic registration system will upgrade the capacity of the system to provide a new group serial option for general use by eligible applicants, according to the Office.
For further information, contact: Robert Kasunic, Deputy General Counsel, or Kent Dunlap, Assistant General Counsel, Telephone: (202) 707-8380. Telefax: (202) 707-8366.
News: Copyright