On March 1st, the Copyright Office launched its new website – a huge improvement over the previous iteration. Visitors to the site are clearly directed to Office activities and resources, and a long overdue overhaul of the website’s navigation has almost eliminated the need for the “back” button. More importantly, the website is now responsive, permitting users on mobile devices to easily move about and use the website.

The site now prominently features portals to the three major activities of the Office: copyright registration, recording of documents pertaining to a copyright (including copyright transfers), and records research and certification. Underneath those are links to resources (such as copyright records search, DMCA agent registery, and schedule of fees) and education (such as the Fair Use Index, FAQs, and the history of copyright), and Quick Links to U. S. Copyright Law and news articles. Copyright professionals and advocates will be gratified to find links to recent Policy issues and open Notices of Inquiry, as well as links to recent Rulemakings.

The website launch was soon followed by the publication of the Copyright Office’s blog, “Copyright: Creativity at Work.” A recent article described the work done to redesign the website, stating that user surveys and questions received by the Public Information Office guided the IT team in redesigning the site. The blog promises ongoing articles on Office doings, policy, and outside perspectives.