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Register of Copyrights

{{Short description|Director of the United States Copyright Office}}

{{use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Register of Copyrights

| image =

| imagecaption =

| imagesize =

| alt =

| department = United States Copyright Office

| incumbent = Vacant

| appointer = Librarian of Congress

| acting = n

| constituting_instrument = {{usc|17|701}}

| formation = 1897

| inaugural = Thorvald Solberg

| salary = governed by {{usc|5|5314}}

| website = {{URL|copyright.gov}}

| footnotes =

}}

The Register of Copyrights is the director of the United States Copyright Office within the Library of Congress, as provided by {{usc|17|701}}. The Office has been headed by a Register since 1897. The Register is appointed by, and responsible to, the Librarian of Congress, with the Register's office located in the Library's James Madison Memorial Building.

Although the title suggests a clerical role, Registers of Copyrights have been responsible for creating the procedures and practices of the Copyright Office and establishing standards for registration of copyright. They have increasingly been responsible for setting or influencing United States copyright policy. Today the Register is responsible for administering rulemaking procedures and producing authoritative interpretations of some aspects of U.S. copyright law, as well as advising the Librarian of Congress on the triennial proceeding on exceptions to the anticircumvention rules of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The Register also routinely testifies before Congress on copyright policy matters.

{{As of|May 2025|post=,}} the position is vacant.{{Cite web |last=Tully-McManus |first=Katherine |date=2025-05-10 |title=Trump fires top US copyright official |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/10/trump-u-s-copyright-official-00340306 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=POLITICO |language=en}} It was recently held by Shira Perlmutter, who took office October 25, 2020.{{cite news |title=U.S. Copyright Office Welcomes New Register |url=https://www.copyright.gov/newsnet/2020/857.html |access-date=October 26, 2020|work=Copyright Office NewsNet |issue=857 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office |date=October 26, 2020}} Perlmutter has filed a lawsuit against unauthorized firing by the president because the chain of command for the position rests only with the Librarian of Congress (who is authorized to appoint the registrar to a maximum term of ten years). Although the Senate never voted to make a change regarding this, in April 2017, the House of Representatives had voted to propose changing the Register of Copyrights to a position that is filled by presidential appointment with Senate confirmation. That never was voted upon by the Senate, so the existing policy remains as has been in place since the establishment of the Copyright Office.{{cite web|title=Big content cheers as Congress votes on changes to US Copyright Office|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/04/congress-may-make-the-us-register-of-copyrights-a-presidential-appointment/|website=Ars Technica|date=April 26, 2017 |access-date=27 April 2017}}{{cite web|title=House Passes Copyright Office Reform Bill|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/house-passes-copyright-office-reform-bill/165314|website=Broadcasting & Cable|date=April 26, 2017 |access-date=27 April 2017}}https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1695/all-actions

List of registers of copyrights

The following persons have served as the register of copyrights:{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/ |title=Registers of Copyrights |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

class="wikitable sortable"
{{abbr|No.|Number}}

! class=unsortable|Image

! Registers

! Start of term

! End of term

! Length of term

! class=unsortable|{{abbr|Refs|References}}

align=center|1

|70px

{{sortname|Thorvald|Solberg}}{{Date table sorting|July 1, 1897}}{{Date table sorting|April 21, 1930}}{{Duration in days nts|1897|7|22|1930|4|21|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/solberg/solberg.html |title=Thorvald Solberg, 1897-1930 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center|acting

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|70px

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|{{sortname|William Lincoln|Brown}}

|{{Date table sorting|April 22, 1930}}

|{{Date table sorting|June 4, 1934}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1930|4|22|1934|6|4|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/brown/brown.html |title=William Lincoln Brown, 1934–1936; Acting, 1930–1934 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center|2

|{{Date table sorting|June 4, 1934}}

|{{Date table sorting|July 1, 1936}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1934|6|4|1936|7|1|format=commas}} days

|

align=center data-sort-value="3a"|3

|70px

{{sortname|Clement Lincoln|Bouvé}}{{Date table sorting|August 1, 1936}}{{Date table sorting|December 31, 1943}}{{Duration in days nts|1936|8|1|1943|12|21|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/bouve/bouve.html |title=Clement Lincoln Bouvé, 1936-1943 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="3b"|acting

|70px

|{{sortname|Richard Crosby|De Wolf}}

|{{Date table sorting|January 1, 1944}}

|{{Date table sorting|February 1, 1945}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1944|1|1|1945|2|1|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/dewolf/act_dewolf.html |title=Richard Crosby De Wolf, Acting, 1944-1945 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center data-sort-value="4a"|4

|70px

|{{sortname|Sam Bass|Warner}}

|{{Date table sorting|February 1, 1945}}

|{{Date table sorting|May 28, 1951}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1945|2|1|1951|5|28|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/warner/warner.html |title=Sam Bass Warner, 1945-1951 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="4b"|acting

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|70px

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|{{sortname|Arthur|Fisher|Arthur Fisher (register)}}

|{{Date table sorting|May 28, 1951}}

|{{Date table sorting|September 12, 1951}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1951|5|28|1951|9|12|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/fisher/fisher.html |title=Arthur Fisher, 1951-1960; Acting, May 1951-September 1951 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center |5{{Date table sorting|September 12, 1951}}

|{{Date table sorting|November 12, 1960}}{{efn|group=tb1|name=died}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1951|9|12|1960|11|12|format=commas}} days

|{{cite book |last1=Patry |first1=William F. |title=Copyright Law and Practice |date=1994 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=978-0-87179-855-8 |page=1212 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw5a7mL8XYAC&pg=PA1212 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Patry |first1=William F. |title=Copyright Law and Practice |date=1994 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=978-0-87179-855-8 |page=1215 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw5a7mL8XYAC&pg=PA1215 |language=en}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center |acting

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|70px

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|{{sortname|Abraham L.|Kaminstein}}

|{{Date table sorting|November 13, 1960}}

|{{Date table sorting|December 23, 1960}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1960|11|13|1960|12|23|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/kaminstein/kaminstein.html |title=Abraham L. Kaminstein, 1960-1971; Acting, November 1960 – December 1960 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center |6

|{{Date table sorting|December 24, 1960}}

|{{Date table sorting|August 31, 1971}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1960|12|24|1971|08|31|format=commas}} days

align=center data-sort-value="7a"|7

|70px

|{{sortname|George D.|Cary}}

|{{Date table sorting|September 1, 1971}}

|{{Date table sorting|March 9, 1973}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1971|9|1|1973|3|9|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/cary/cary.html |title=George D. Cary, 1971-1973 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="7b"|Acting

|70px

{{sortname|Abe|Goldman}}{{Date table sorting|March 10, 1973}}{{Date table sorting|November 19, 1973}}{{Duration in days nts|1973|3|10|1973|11|19|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/goldman/act_goldman.html |title=Abe A. Goldman; Acting, 1973 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center data-sort-value="8" |8

|70px

|{{sortname|Barbara|Ringer}}{{efn|group=tb1|name=First female}}

|{{Date table sorting|November 19, 1973}}

|{{Date table sorting|May 30, 1980}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1973|11|19|1980|5|30|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/ringer/ringer.html |title=Barbara Ringer, 1973-1980; Acting, 1993-1994 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Alison |title=Barbara Ringer: Beyond the © |url=https://blogs.loc.gov/copyright/2019/11/barbara-ringer-anniversary/ |access-date=January 9, 2020 |work=Copyright Creativity at Work |agency=Library of Congress |date=November 19, 2019}}

align=center data-sort-value="9a" |9

|70px

|{{sortname|David|Ladd|David Ladd (attorney)}}

|{{Date table sorting|June 2, 1980}}

|{{Date table sorting|January 2, 1985}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1980|6|2|1985|1|2|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/ladd/ladd.html |title=David Ladd, 1980-1985 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="9b"|Acting

|70px

|{{sortname|Donald|Curran}}

|{{Date table sorting|January 3, 1985}}

|{{Date table sorting|September 10, 1985}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1985|1|3|1985|9|10|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/curran/act_curran.html |title=Donald Curran; Acting, 1985 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center data-sort-value="10a" |10

|70px

|{{sortname|Ralph|Oman}}

|{{Date table sorting|September 23, 1985}}

|{{Date table sorting|January 8, 1994}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1985|9|22|1994|1|8|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/oman/oman.html |title=Ralph Oman, 1985-1993 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="10b" |acting

|70px

|{{sortname|Barbara|Ringer}}

|{{Date table sorting|November 27, 1993}}

|{{Date table sorting|August 6, 1994}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1993|11|27|1994|8|6|format=commas}} days

|

align=center data-sort-value="11" |11

|70px

|{{sortname|Marybeth|Peters}}

|{{Date table sorting|August 7, 1994}}

|{{Date table sorting|December 31, 2010}}

|{{Duration in days nts|1994|8|7|2010|12|31|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/peters/peters.html |title=Marybeth Peters, 1994-2010 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="11a" |Acting

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|70px

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|{{sortname|Maria|Pallante}}

|{{Date table sorting|January 1, 2011}}

|{{Date table sorting|May 31, 2011}}

|{{Duration in days nts|2011|1|1|2011|5|31|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/pallante/pallante.html |title=Maria A. Pallante, 2011–2016; Acting, January 2011 to June 2011 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center data-sort-value="12a"|12

|{{Date table sorting|June 1, 2011}}

|{{Date table sorting|October 21, 2016}}

|{{Duration in days nts|2011|6|1|2016|10|21|format=commas}} days

|

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="12b" |Acting

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|70px

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff"|{{sortname|Karyn|Temple}}

|{{Date table sorting|October 21, 2016}}

|{{Date table sorting|March 26, 2019}}

|{{Duration in days nts|2016|10|21|2019|3|26|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/temple/temple.html |title=Karyn A. Temple, 2019–2020; Acting, 2016-2019 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center data-sort-value="13a" |13

|{{Date table sorting|March 27, 2019}}

|{{Date table sorting|January 4, 2020}}

|{{Duration in days nts|2019|3|27|2020|1|4|format=commas}} days

|

bgcolor="#e6e6aa"

| align=center data-sort-value="13b" |Acting

|70px

|{{sortname|Maria|Strong|Maria Strong (attorney)}}

|{{Date table sorting|January 5, 2020}}

|{{Date table sorting|October 24, 2020}}

|{{Duration in days nts|2020|1|5|2020|10|24|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/strong/strong.html |title=Maria Strong; Acting, 2020 |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}

align=center data-sort-value="14" |14

|70px

|{{sortname|Shira|Perlmutter}}

|{{Date table sorting|October 25, 2020}}

|{{Date table sorting|May 10, 2025}} {{efn|group=tb1|name=Disputed}}

|{{Duration in days nts|2020|10|25|2025|10|5|format=commas}} days

|{{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/leadership/shira-perlmutter.html |title=Shira Perlmutter |publisher=U.S. Copyright Office}}{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/10/trump-u-s-copyright-official-00340306 |work=Politico |date=2025-05-10 |title=Trump fires top US copyright official |first=Katherine |last=Tully-McManus}}{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Dylan |url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2025/05/23/shira-perlmutter-lawsuit/ |title=Fired Copyright Office Head Shira Perlmutter Sues Trump Administration Over ‘Blatantly Unlawful’ Dismissal |work=Digital Music News |date=May 23, 2025}}

Table notes:

{{notelist|group=tb1|refs=

{{efn|group=tb1|name=died|Died in office}}

{{efn|group=tb1|name=First female|First female Register. Ringer brought a sex discrimination suit that resulted in her being named to the position.}}

{{efn|group=tb1|name=Disputed|Legality of Perlmutter's dismissal by president is disputed}}

}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Sources

  • {{cite web |url=http://www.copyright.gov/statements.html |title=Congressional Testimony by Register of Copyrights |access-date=2008-08-30 |publisher=United States Copyright Office}}
  • {{cite web |url=https://www.copyright.gov/about/registers/ |title=Registers of Copyrights |access-date=2020-01-09 |publisher=United States Copyright Office}}
  • United States Code. {{usc|17|701}}.

{{USCopyrightActs}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1897 establishments in Washington, D.C.