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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

42.002:  Copyright Service

Objectives:  To administer the U.S. Copyright Law, that became effective on January 1, 1978; to examine and decide the acceptability of all applications, deposit copies, and other materials presented for registration of original and renewal copyright claims; to process deposits submitted in compliance with the mandatory deposit provision of the Copyright Law; to record and publish legal facts of copyright and certain bibliographic data pertaining to each registered work; to furnish information to the public about the procedures for making registration and the practices of the Office; to record documents of transfers of copyright ownership or other documents pertaining to a copyright; to provide reports on copyright facts found in the records of the Copyright Office; to provide certified copies of office records; and to promulgate copyright regulations. To examine cable system and satellite carrier statements of account and collect compulsory license royalties for distribution to copyright owners; to examine quarterly and annual statements of account and receive royalties on behalf of copyright owners pursuant to the statutory obligation provided for the distribution of digital audio recording equipment and media; to examine and record documents relating to compulsory and statutory licenses and obligations and to administer, assist and review the actions and decisions of the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panels.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

42.002 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Information is supplied to anyone on request. Registration may be made by authors, their assignees, or their exclusive licensees, and others designated by law, or by their agents.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Information supplied to anyone, on request. Registration may be made by authors, their assignees, or their exclusive licensees, and others designated by law, or by their agents.

Credentials/Documentation:  None.

42.002 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  Walk-in service or written requests for information. Applications for registration are on forms provided by the Copyright Office. Application forms are available on the Copyright Office Website at www.loc.gov/copyright.

Award Procedure:  Not applicable.

Deadlines:  The owner of a copyright or the right of first publication in a work published in the United States under copyright protection has a legal obligation to deposit in the Copyright Office two complete copies or phonorecords for the use of the Library of Congress; copyright registration under the 1976 Copyright Act is generally voluntary, although copyright owners are required to register their claim in order to obtain certain remedies; registration can be made at any time during the copyright term; however, prompt publication is necessary to obtain statutory remuneration for copyright infringement. Cable systems, satellite carriers, importers, and manufacturers of digital audio recording products have deadlines for filing statements of account and royalty fees.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Not applicable.

Appeals:  No formal appeals. Denials of registration may be appealed to the Examining Division by letter. A second appeal, also by letter, may be made to a Board of Appeals.

Renewals:  Public Law 102-307, amended the Copyright Law to extend automatically the term of copyrights secured between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977, to a further term of 47 years and increased the filing fee from $20.00 to $45.00. This fee increase applies to all renewal applications filed on or after July 1, 1999. Public Law 102-307 makes renewal registration optional. The term of copyright in works published or copyrighted between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977, is 75 years. There is no need to make the renewal filing in order to extend the original 28-year copyright term to the full 75 years. However, some benefits accrue to making a renewal registration during the 28th year of the original term. For more information, contact the Renewals Section at (202) 707-8180.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Not applicable.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Not applicable.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Not applicable.

42.002 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 11.900 Patent and Trademark Technical Information Dissemination.

42.002 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

42.002 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Type of Assistance:  Dissemination of Technical Information.

Obligations:  (85 percent salaries and expenses; 15 percent materials) FY 99 $31,704,693; FY 00 est $37,485,014; and FY 01 est $38,903,000.

Budget Account Number:  03-0102-0-1-376.

Authorization:  Public Law 102-307, 17 U.S.C. 101-710.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  Applications, copies of regulations, and printed informational circulars are available from the Copyright Office at the mailing address given below.

42.002 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  Register of Copyrights, Copyright Office, James Madison Memorial Bldg., Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Phone: (202) 707-3000. Mailing address: Library of Congress, Copyright Office, 101 Independence Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20559-6000.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

42.002 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Not applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Anyone may request information about the Copyright Law, the Copyright Office regulations, the method of securing copyright, and the procedures for registering claims and recording documents. This information is free of charge. Reports on copyright facts found in the records of the Copyright Office may be obtained for a statutory search fee of $65 an hour or fraction thereof; however, any member of the public may use, without charge, the Copyright Card Catalog and the on-line catalog of registrations made since 1978 in the Copyright Office. Fees provided by law for registration of claims to copyright are $30 for most categories with the exception of group registration of serials and daily newspapers which have separate fee schedules. There are also separate schedules of statutory fees for recordation of transfers of copyright ownership, certified copies of records, etc. The latest fee information can be obtained by contacting the Copyright Office or checking the Copyright Office Website at www.loc.gov/copyright.

42.002 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  None.

Audits:  None.

Records:  None.