IN THE NEWS

Abstract

Copyright Matters. The proposed Copyright Reform Act of 1993 (HR 847, and S 373) incorporates several procedural changes. Notably, it makes the Register of Copyright a Presidential appointment rather than an appointee of the Librarian of Congress. While this may seem inconsequential, it is simply part of a process that would split the Copyright Office away from the Library of Congress. Among the other proposed changes are elimination of the need to apply for registration before filing a copyright infringement claim, and the abolishment of the preregistration requirement for statutory damages. Among other effects, it would remove from depository status a very high proportion of the books, films, and recordings currently received by the Library of Congress. This would mean that the library would have to purchase these materials at a cost of several million dollars each year, and it would also reduce the materials available for foreign exchange, often the only means of acquiring foreign materials.

Citation

Martin, M.S. (1993), "IN THE NEWS", The Bottom Line, Vol. 6 No. 3/4, pp. 24-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb025382