Creators frustrated with Copyright Office's outdated technology, procedures

Those who deal with the Copyright Office said its outdated technology and procedures increasingly interfere with their ability to buy, sell and protect copyrighted works. Now, some in Congress are pushing to modernize the Copyright Office, taking it from a 19th century relic that operates out of a cramped, paper-strewn office into a government office that can efficiently address the needs of the trillion-dollar US copyright industry.

Maria Pallante, head of the Copyright Office, has repeatedly testified to Congress and spoken publicly about the need to update IT systems and office policies. In 2015, Pallante launched something of a crusade to separate the office from the library, arguing publicly for the first time that the office needs independence. Without it, former Copyright Office staff say, there's not much she can do to push the office into the 21st century because she has minimal control over IT staff and no independent authority to request money to update the office. Pallante has won admirers and allies in Congress. Two members of the House Judiciary Committee, which has oversight of the office, announced legislation in June that would make the office independent. According to industry representatives and creators, the system discourages groups from registering their copyrights. Some songwriters and makers of standardized tests delay or avoid registering because they do not trust the office's computer security. Newspapers must be submitted in the form of costly and increasingly redundant microfiche, driving some to avoid registering altogether. Others simply get fed up with the office's clunky registration process.