Welcome to the Copyright Resource Center.
This page serves as a user-friendly repository of information for members to comply with the rules for submitting newspapers for registration with the Copyright Office and mandatory deposits with the Library of Congress. We suggest bookmarking this page and revisiting it periodically as we update the page with new information, and to use as a reference.
Please scroll down to view important steps for filing the required PDFs.
Latest Updates
News Publishers Will No Longer be Required to Submit Applications and Deposits Within Three Months
February 13, 2019 – The Copyright Office has published a notice in the Federal Register amending the final rule on Group Registration of Newspapers to eliminate the requirement that news publishers submit applications and deposits within three months of publication. The new rule will take effect on February 18, 2019. The rule does not affect the requirements for statutory damages and attorney’s fees under Section 412, which requires filing to take place either before infringement commences or within three months of publication.
Steps for Filing
Step 1: View the Final Rule
Step 2: Consult the Group Newspaper Registration Circular
Step 3: Submit your PDF files.
Every newspaper applying for copyright registration must now file PDFs of each issue in the month they are seeking to register, whether or not they were on the Library’s former microfilm list. Microfilm is no longer required for any newspaper publisher, but may be submitted during the transition period – until December 2019 – if the publisher wants to provide a backup for the PDFs sent.
Filing Instructions Now Available!
Click on the button below to view the Copyright Office’s step-by-step instructions for uploading your work to eCo.
Who Must File
Although copyright registration is voluntary, newspaper identified by the Library of Congress are generally required to submit mandatory copies of their published editions. A list of newspapers required to submit mandatory deposits can be found here.
Related Links:
European Publishers Council (EPC) response to Google’s blog post claiming that local publishers will be hurt by the Publisher’s Right: Google’s Demand For 5 “Guarantees” Make A Mockery Of The Publisher’s Neighboring Right (Dec. 3, 2018)
Statement: Copyright Office Signs Final Rule Modernizing Newspaper Registration
The Library of Congress’ Transition to Digital Newspaper Records
Copyright Office Proposed Rule
News Media Alliance Comments on the NPRM (Dec. 6, 2017)
For questions or more information, please contact Danielle Coffey.
