Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition
assistance to Congress in the interpretation of Title 17 and compliance with international agreements, such as the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (the “Berne Convention”) and the WIPO Internet Treaties. The Office also conducts public discussions on law and policy; produces major legal studies, makes policy recommendations; participates in copyright-related litigation when the U.S. government has an interest; provides support on trade and enforcement measures; attends intergovernmental meetings and other international events; and hosts copyright training for copyright officials from foreign countries.
101.3(D) Administering Statutory Licenses
As discussed in Section 101.2(H)(2), the U.S. Copyright Office’s Licensing Division administers the statutory licenses for cable and satellite retransmissions and the statutory license for digital audio recording technology. It also records certain documents associated with the mechanical statutory license. These statutory licenses allow third parties to make certain limited uses of copyrighted works without the copyright owners’ permission, provided that certain statutory requirements are met. The Division deducts its operating costs from these royalty fees and invests the balance in interest-bearing securities with the U.S. Treasury for later distribution to copyright owners.
101.4 U.S. Copyright Office Seal
The Register of Copyrights has adopted the following official seal pursuant to the authority of the Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. § 701(c); Notice of New Copyright Office Seal, 68 Fed. Reg. 71,171 (Dec. 22, 2003). The U.S. Copyright Office uses this seal on certificates of registration, certified records, and in connection with other official documents, including reports to Congress.
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102 Sources of Law
U.S. copyright law is derived from several authoritative sources, including the U.S. Constitution, statutory provisions, court decisions, and regulations. These sources and their role in shaping copyright law in the United States are reviewed in Sections 102.1 through 102.7 below.
