Copyright office news
From an ASMP newsletter:
1) There is a rumor making the rounds that the Copyright Office is no longer accepting CDs for copyright registrations because too many were being damaged by X-rays due to heightened security. IT IS NOT TRUE. On March 28th, 2006, we were told by Jule Sigall, the Associate Register for Policy & International Affairs, that the Copyright Office still prefers CDs and that the majority of deposits do in fact arrive on CDs.
However, you should routinely take certain precautions:
-Put the CD in a full-size jewel case, not a sleeve.
-Put it in a box, not an envelope. (For some reason, boxes don't get X-rayed as often.)
-Send it by courier (FedEx, UPS, etc) and ask for a delivery receipt.
-And always keep copies and backups.
2) This one's not a rumor: The Copyright Office will soon be increasing the fees it charges for various services. (The basic registration fee, now $30, was last increased in 1999.) Unless Congress forbids it, the new rates will take effect on July 1. The basic registration fee will go up to $45, and many other charges will increase by about 50%. The full list of fees is in the Federal Register; shortcut is http://tinyurl.com/faxj8