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Category: legislation

Background looks like a brown wooden table. On it, are two beige parchments showing early Copyright laws. On the right are two photographs with white frames around them. One is black and white and shows people working in a file room. The other is a color photograph of an aerial view of the Jefferson and Madison buildings on Capitol Hill

New Learning Engine Video Highlights the History of Copyright

Posted by: Nora Scheland

This blog post introduces the U.S. Copyright Office’s newest Learning Engine video, “History of Copyright,” which chronicles the history of copyright and the Copyright Office. The Office has released the video, and this blog post, timed with the 234th anniversary of the Congressional bill that eventually became the first federal copyright law.

Blue background with legal icons (gavel, check mark, scales of justice, document with check mark). Text reads: Copyright Claims Board CCB.gov #CASEAct

Checking in with the Copyright Claims Board Nearly Eighteen Months After Opening Day

Posted by: Nora Scheland

As we approach the eighteen-month mark for the Copyright Claims Board (CCB), we revisit a conversation with the CCB's three Copyright Claims Officers, David Carson, Monica McCabe, and Brad Newberg, from the one-year anniversary and share updated statistics about the Board's work between June 2022 and October 2023.

Black man sits in front of a desk with three monitors, processing books from a library cart next to him

Copyright Deposit Requirements May Be Easier Than You Think

Posted by: Nora Scheland

The best edition physical deposit requirement for copyright registration has long been a key part of U.S. copyright law, but in recent years, the U.S. Copyright Office has worked to clarify and simplify some of the deposit requirements. This blog post outlines some of the recent changes and where to find more information.

Black man sits at desk wearing headphones talking into a microphone

The Copyright Claims Board Is Here: Find Out If It’s Right for You!

Posted by: Nora Scheland

The Copyright Claims Board (CCB) is now open for business and accepting claims. Learn more about whether the CCB is for you, what to do if you want to initiate a claim or if a claim has been filed against you, and where to get more information.

Promoting Progress: Celebrating the Constitution’s Intellectual Property Clause

Posted by: Alison Hall

Today is Constitution Day, which is a day of great celebration in copyright. In addition to all of the other treasures in the Constitution, of which there are many, our country's founding document includes the foundation for U.S. copyright law. In article 1, section 8, clause 8, the Constitution states that Congress has the power to enact laws to "promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries." And Congress obliged, passing the first federal copyright law in 1790, updating it throughout the years to address the changing times.