Copyright Office Proposes Extended Collective Licensing Program

On June 9 2015, the Copyright Office issued a Notice of Inquiry (http://copyright.gov/fedreg/2015/80fr32614.pdf) requesting public comments on the practical operation of an Extended Collective Licensing Program that the Office proposed in its most recent report on Orphan Works and Mass Digitization (http://copyright.gov/orphan/reports/orphan-works2015.pdf). According to the Office, the program “would enable users to digitize and provide access to certain works for research and education purposes under conditions to be agreed upon between rights holder and user representatives.”

The report recommends legislation limiting liability for the use of orphan works following a good faith diligent search for the copyright owner, similar to legislation passed by the Senate in 2008. The report also proposes the use of extended collective licensing for nonprofit educational and research mass digitization projects. The Office suggests a “pilot program” that would enable users to digitize and provide access to certain works for research and education purposes under conditions to be agreed upon between rightsholder and user representatives. To assist it in developing appropriate legislation, the Office is issuing a Notice of Inquiry contemporaneously with the Report, inviting public comment on various issues concerning the scope and administration of such a program.