Issue 276 -October 4, 2005

Copyright Office Requests Comments on Possible Adverse Effects on Users from Prohibition on Circumvention

The Copyright Office is preparing to conduct proceedings in accordance with section 1201(a)(1) of title 17 U.S.C., which was added by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This section provides that the Librarian of Congress may exempt certain classes of works from the prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. The purpose of this rulemaking proceeding is to determine whether there are particular classes of works as to which users are, or are likely to be, adversely affected in their ability to make noninfringing uses due to the prohibition of circumvention.

The Copyright Office requests written comments from all interested parties, including representatives of copyright owners, educational institutions, libraries and archives, scholars, researchers, and members of the public, to elicit evidence on whether noninfringing uses of certain classes of works are, or are likely to be, adversely affected by this prohibition on the circumvention of measures that control access to copyrighted works. Written comments are due by December 1, 2005. Reply comments are due by February 2, 2006.

Although the Copyright Office will accept comments delivered by hand or by the U.S. Postal Service, it prefers that comments be submitted through its website, which will contain a submission page that will be activated approximately 30 days prior to each applicable deadline. (Read further information.)

eCO Search to Replace LOCIS about November 1, 2005

eCO Search, an improved copyright searching system to be available on the Copyright Office website, will replace the LOCIS and the Web-based search systems about November 1, 2005. All the approximately 20 million records of registrations and recorded documents dating from 1978 will be migrated to the new eCO Search database. Instructions for using eCO Search will be available on the Copyright Office website. (Read further information.)