|
|||||||||||||||||
In 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a law that centralized in the Library of Congress the U.S. copyright registration and deposit system. The law required that two copies of every book, pamphlet, map, print, photograph and piece of music registered for copyright be deposited in the Library. Since the law was enacted, other media, such as films, audio recordings and digital materials, have become eligible for copyright registration. |
|||||
|
|||||
Why is copyright registration so important? Although creators own the copyright to their works at the moment of creation, registering their claims with the U.S. Copyright Office provides a record that can be relied on should a copyright dispute ever arise. For the Library, the deposit requirement has been its greatest source for building the collections into the largest repository ever assembled. Although the Library acquires materials through purchase, gift and exchange with other institutions, copyright deposits comprise the bulk of the collections. |
|||||
|