Library of Congress December 1, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Copyright Office is proposing to update its regulations governing group registration options for photographers to encourage broader participation in the registration system, increase the efficiency of the registration process, and create a more robust record of the claim. First, the Office has created new online registration applications specifically designed for group registrations of published photographs and group registrations of unpublished photographs. The proposed rule would require applicants to use these online applications, in lieu of any existing paper application. Applicants will be allowed to include up to 750 photographs with each application. Second, the proposal would eliminate less-efficient forms of registering photographs that have been adopted over the years namely, the pilot program permitting group registration of published photographs using the electronic application designed for registering a single work, and the option of registering a number of unpublished photographs as an ``unpublished collection.'' The pilot program for photographic databases will remain in effect. Third, the proposed rule will update the deposit requirement for group registrations of photographs and photographic databases by requiring applicants to submit their works in digital form.

The U.S. Copyright Office is proposing to amend the regulation governing the group registration option for contributions to periodicals to reflect certain upgrades that will soon be made to the electronic registration system. The proposed rule will require groups of contributions to be filed through the Office's electronic registration system. In addition, it will modify the deposit requirement for this option by requiring applicants to submit their contributions in a digital format and to upload those files through the electronic system. The proposed rule will increase the efficiency of the registration process for both the Office and copyright owners alike.