Records relating to works registered before January 1, 1978, may be searched using the Office's card catalog, the Catalog of Copyright Entries, or other physical records maintained by the Office. Many of these records are stored in the Public Records Reading Room and may be accessed by any member of the public who presents a reader registration card.
For additional information on conducting self-searches, see Circular 22, How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work; Circular 23, The Copyright Card Catalog and the Online Files of the Copyright Office; and Circular 6, Obtaining Access to and Copies of Copyright Records and Deposits.
2406.2 Searches Conducted by RRCS
Upon request and for a fee, RRCS staff will conduct a search of the Office's public records and will prepare a written report concerning the information disclosed in any particular deposits, registrations, or recorded documents. As discussed in Section 2409.2(A), search reports prepared by the Office may be certified upon request. The Office's fees for these services are discussed in Sections 2406.2(C) and 2409.4 below.
When conducting a search, RRCS staff may consult registrations, renewals, and recorded documents, pending applications and requests for recordation, or other pertinent records maintained by the Office.
The procedure for requesting a search of the Office's records is discussed in Section 2406.2(B) below.
2406.2(A) Who May Request a Search?
Any member of the public may ask RRCS staff to conduct a search of the U.S. Copyright Office's public records.
2406.2(B) How to Request a Search
To request a search of the Office's public records, members of the public should submit a written request to RRCS. Written requests may be submitted by email, facsimile, mail, or in person, and should be sent to the address specified in Section 2403, together with the appropriate search fee. For information concerning the search fee, see Section 2406.2(C).
When requesting a search involving a work of authorship, members of the public should provide (i) the title of the work, (ii) the name(s) of the author(s), and (iii) the name(s) of the copyright claimant(s). The following information (if available) may also be useful:
• Variation (s) on the title of the work.
• Pseudonym(s) for the author of the work.
• The name(s) of the probable copyright owner(s).
• The approximate year when the work was created, published, and/or registered.
Chapter 2400 : 9
12/22/2014
