The US Copyright Office Celebrates
April 26 marks World Intellectual Property Day, an international celebration of the visionary innovation and creative expression fostered by the intellectual property system. The U.S. Copyright Office is proud to join the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), its Member States throughout the world, and our colleagues across the U.S. government in celebrating the significant contributions of authors and other creators to our global society.
We are fortunate to live in a culture that values the talent and dedication of writers, composers, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, artists, producers and other authors. As the Supreme Court has noted: “The immediate effect of our copyright law is to secure a fair return for an ‘author’s’ creative labor. But the ultimate aim is, by this incentive, to stimulate artistic creativity for the general public good.” Twentieth Century Music Corp. v. Aiken, 422 U.S. 151, 156 (1975).
We also live in an age of great technological innovation. This not only affects the ways in which authors may disseminate creative works and consumers may enjoy them—it affects the very means by which works are created and knowledge is accessed. And it calls for a robust legal framework for the 21st century—a framework by which authors are respected, investments (both intellectual and financial) are encouraged, enforcement measures are responsive, and limitations and exceptions are meaningful.
For more information about copyright law, please visit our website at www.copyright.gov. To learn more about WIPO, visit www.wipo.int.
Maria A. Pallante
Register of Copyrights and Director
U.S. Copyright Office
ASSOULINE & BERLOWE
Assouline & Berlowe, P.A. Blog 