Copyright Office Updates Proposed Rule Regarding Mandatory Deposit of Electronic-Only Books
Issue No. 837 - June 29, 2020
The U.S. Copyright Office has updated its proposed rule providing for the mandatory deposit of certain electronic-only books with the Copyright Office for use by the Library of Congress. The proposed rule would make electronic-only books published in the United States subject to the Copyright Act’s mandatory deposit provisions if they are affirmatively demanded by the Office.
The Office previously issued a proposed rule on this topic in April 2018. In response to public comments on that proposal, today’s update clarifies the scope of material subject to demand and adjusts the provisions governing the use of technological protection measures on deposited material. The Office also has provided additional information on the Library’s digital collection strategy and information technology practices in response to stakeholder comments.
The proposed rule and instructions on how to submit comments are available here. Comments must be received no later than July 29, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. eastern time.