/* BBS LEGAL GUIDE: This section of the copyright code provides the duites for the copyright Office. Of interest to everyone should be Section 705 on "public access" to information in the copyright office. */
CHAPTER 7. COPYRIGHT OFFICE
Section
701. The Copyright Office: General responsibilities and
organization
702. Copyright Office regulations
703. Effective date of actions in Copyright Office
704. Retention and disposition of articles deposited in Copyright Office
705. Copyright Office records: Preparation, maintenance, public
inspection, and searching
706. Copies of Copyright Office records
707. Copyright Office forms and publications
708. Copyright Office fees
709. Delay in delivery caused by disruption of postal or other
services
710. Reproduction for use of the blind and physically handicapped
Voluntary licensing forms and procedures
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S 701. The Copyright Office: General responsibilities and organization
(a) All administrative functions and duties under this title [17
USC SS 101 et seq.], except as otherwise specified, are the
responsibility of the Register of Copyrights as director of the
Copyright Office of the Library of Congress. The Register of
Copyrights, together with the subordinate officers and employees
of the Copyright Office, shall be appointed by the Librarian of
Congress, and shall act under the Librarian's general direction
and supervision.
(b) The Register of Copyrights shall adopt a seal to be used on
and after January 1, 1978, to authenticate all certified docu-
ments issued by the Copyright Office.
(c) The Register of Copyrights shall make an annual report to the
Librarian of Congress of the work and accomplishments of the
Copyright Office during the previous fiscal year. The annual
report of the Register of Copyrights shall be published
separately and as a part of the annual report of the Librarian of
Congress.
(d) Except as provided by section 706(b) [17 USC S 706(b)] and
the regulations issued thereunder, all actions taken by the
Register of Copyrights under this title [17 USC SS 101 et seq.]
are subject to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act
of June 11, 1946, as amended (c. 324, 60 Stat. 237, Title 5,
United States Code, Chapter 5, Subchapter II and Chapter 7) Φ
(e) The Register of Copyrights shall be compensated at the rate
of pay in effect for level IV of the Executive Schedule under
section 5315 of title 5. The Librarian of Congress shall
establish not more than four positions for Associates Registers
of Copyrights, in accordance with the recommendations of the
Register of Copyrights. The Librarian shall make apppointments to
such positions after consultation with the Register of
Copyrights. Each Assocaites Register of Copyrights shall be paid
at a rate not to exceed the maximum annual rate of basic pay
payable for GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of
title 5.
S 702. Copyright Office regulations
The Register of Copyrights is authorized to establish regulations
not inconsistent with law for the administration of the functions
and duties made the responsibility of the Register under this
title [17 USC SS 101 et seq.]. All regulations established by
the Register under this title [17 USC SS 101 et seq.] are sub-
ject to the approval of the Librarian of Congress.
S 703. Effective date of actions in Copyright Office
In any case in which time limits are prescribed under this title
[17 USC SS 101 et seq.] for the performance of an action in the
Copyright Office, and in which the last day of the prescribed
period falls on a Saturday, Sunday, holiday, or other nonbusiness
day within the District of Columbia or the Federal Government,
the action may be taken on the next succeeding business day, and
is effective as of the date when the period expired.
S 704. Retention and disposition of articles deposited in
Copyright Office
(a) Upon their deposit in the Copyright Office under sections 407
and 408 [17 USC SS 407 and 408], all copies, phonorecords, and
identifying material, including those deposited in connection
with claims that have been refused registration, are the property
of the United States Government.
(b) In the case of published works, all copies, phonorecords, and
identifying material deposited are available to the Library of
Congress for its collections, or for exchange or transfer to any
other library. In the case of unpublished works, the Library is
entitled, under regulations that the Register of Copyrights shall
prescribe, to select any deposits for its collections or for
transfer to the National Archives of the United States or to a
Federal records center, as defined in section 2901 of title 44
[44 USC S 2901].
(c) The Register of Copyrights is authorized, for specific or
general categories of works, to make a facsimile reproduction of
all or any part of the material deposited under section 408 [17
USC S 408], and to make such reproduction a part of the Copyright
Office records of the registration, before transferring such
material to the Library of Congress as provided by subsection
(b), or before destroying or otherwise disposing of such material
as provided by subsection (d).
(d) Deposits not selected by the Library under subsection (b), or
identifying portions or reproductions of them, shall be retained
under the control of the Copyright Office, including retention in
Government storage facilities, for the longest period considered
practicable and desirable by the Register of Copyrights and the
Librarian of Congress. After that period it is within the joint
discretion of the Register and the Librarian to order their
destruction or other disposition; but, in the case of unpublished
works, no deposit shall be knowingly or intentionally destroyed
or otherwise disposed of during its term of copyright unless a
facsimile reproduction of the entire deposit has been made a part
of the Copyright Office records as provided by subsection (c).
(e) The depositor of copies, phonorecords, or identifying
material under section 408 [17 USC S 408], or the copyright owner
of record, may request retention, under the control of the
Copyright Office, of one or more of such articles for the full
term of copyright in the work. The Register of Copyrights shall
prescribe, by regulation, the conditions under which such
requests are to be made and granted, and shall fix the fee to be
charged under section 708(a)(11) [17 USC S 708(a)(11)] if the
request is granted.
S 705. Copyright Office records: Preparation, maintenance,
public inspection, and searching
(a) The Register of Copyrights shall provide and keep in the
Copyright Office records of all deposits, registrations,
recordations, and other actions taken under this title [17 USC SS
101 et seq.], and shall prepare indexes of all such records.
(b) Such records and indexes, as well as the articles deposited
in connection with completed copyright registrations and retained
under the control of the Copyright Office, shall be open to
public inspection.
(c) Upon request and payment of the fee specified by section 708
[17 USC S 708], the Copyright Office shall make a search of its
public records, indexes, and deposits, and shall furnish a report
of the information they disclose with respect to any particular
deposits, registrations, or recorded documents.
S 706. Copies of Copyright Office records
(a) Copies may be made of any public records or indexes of the
Copyright Office; additional certificates of copyright
registration and copies of any public records or indexes may be
furnished upon request and payment of the fees specified by
section 708 [17 USC S 708].
(b) Copies or reproductions of deposited articles retained under
the control of the Copyright Office shall be authorized or
furnished only under the conditions specified by the Copyright
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