Register Karyn A. Temple Announces Departure from the Copyright Office
Issue No. 791 - December 9, 2019
Today, Register of Copyrights Karyn Temple announced that she will be leaving the Copyright Office on January 3, 2020, to accept a new position with the Motion Picture Association. Temple has worked at the Copyright Office since 2011, first in the Office of Policy and International Affairs where she advised Congress on important copyright law and policy issues and was involved in several treaty negotiations, including the successful Marrakesh treaty that Congress implemented last year. She served as Acting Register of Copyrights from October 2016 until March 2019, when she was appointed Register. During her tenure, she spearheaded modernization efforts, oversaw improvements such as new public outreach mechanisms, the elimination of the registration backlog, and reduced registration processing times. Temple noted, "I have been continuously inspired by the excellent staff of the Copyright Office. They have served the American people well and are dedicated to the administration of the Copyright Act. It has been an honor for me to work at the Copyright Office, and, while I am looking forward to the next chapter, I will greatly miss all of the talented staff of the Copyright Office. I am truly grateful for the support and friendship of the entire Copyright Office staff during my tenure here."
"Karyn has been a huge asset for the U.S. Copyright Office throughout her tenure here. Her leadership in the effort to modernize the Copyright Office's IT infrastructure, in close collaboration with the Library of Congress, has greatly improved critical functions and paved the way for a modernized Copyright system," said Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress. "On behalf of the staff of the U.S. Copyright Office and the entire Library of Congress, I want to thank Karyn for her service and wish her all the best in her new role." The Librarian of Congress is developing a transition plan and will appoint an Acting Register, who will serve during the search for the next Register.