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Electronic Code of Federal Regulations



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Title 37: Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights
PART 204—PRIVACY ACT: POLICIES AND PROCEDURES


§ 204.1   Purposes and scope.



The purposes of these regulations are:

(a) The establishment of procedures by which an individual can determine if the Copyright Office maintains a system of records in which there is a record pertaining to the individual; and

(b) The establishment of procedures by which an individual may gain access to a record or information maintained on that individual and have such record or information disclosed for the purpose of review, copying, correction, or amendment.

§ 204.2   Definitions.



For purposes of this part:

(a) The term individual means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence;

(b) The term maintain includes maintain, collect, use, or disseminate;

(c) The term record means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, his education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history, and that contains his or her name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a finger or voice print or a photograph;

(d) The term system of records means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual; and

(e) The term routine use means, with respect to the disclosure of a record, the use of such record for a purpose which is compatible with the purpose for which it was collected.

§ 204.3   General policy.



The Copyright Office serves primarily as an office of public record. Section 705 of title 17, United States Code, requires the Copyright Office to open for public inspection all records of copyright deposits, registrations, recordations, and other actions taken under title 17. Therefore, a routine use of all Copyright Office systems of records created under section 705 of title 17 is disclosure to the public. All Copyright Office systems of records created under section 705 of title 17 are also available for public copying as required by section 706(a), with the exception of copyright deposits, whose reproduction is governed by section 706(b) and the regulations issued under that section. In addition to the records mandated by section 705 of title 17, the Copyright Office maintains other systems of records which are necessary for the Office effectively to carry out its mission. These systems of records are routinely consulted and otherwise used by Copyright Office employees in the performance of their duties. The Copyright Office will not sell, rent, or otherwise make publicly available any mailing list prepared by the Office.

[47 FR 36821, Aug. 24, 1982]


§ 204.4   Procedure for notification of the existence of records pertaining to individuals.



(a) The Copyright Office will publish in the Federal Register, upon the establishment or revision of the system of records, notices of all Copyright Office systems of records subject to the Privacy Act, as provided by 5 U.S.C., section 552a(e)(4). Individuals desiring to know if a Copyright Office system of records contains a record pertaining to them should submit a written request to that effect either by mail to the Supervisory Copyright Information Specialist, Copyright Information Section, Copyright GC/I&R, P.O. Box 70400,, Washington, DC 20024, or in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on any working day except legal holidays at Room LM-401, The James Madison Memorial Building, 1st and Independence Avenue, SE, Washington, DC.

(b) The written request should identify clearly the system of records which is the subject of inquiry, by reference, whenever possible, to the system number and title as given in the notices of systems of records in the Federal Register. Both the written request and the envelope carrying it should be plainly marked “Privacy Act Request.” Failure to so mark the request may delay the Office response.

(c) The Office will acknowledge all properly marked requests made by individuals wishing to gain access to view or copy their records or any information pertaining to the individual, within a reasonable time. The Office will acknowledge in writing an individual's request to amend a record pertaining to him or her within ten business days.

(d) Since all Copyright Office Records created under section 705 of title 17 are open to public inspection, no identity verification is necessary for individuals who wish to know whether a system of records created under section 705 pertains to them.

[43 FR 776, Jan. 4, 1978, as amended at 47 FR 36821, Aug. 24, 1982; 50 FR 697, Aug. 14, 1985; 60 FR 34169, June 30, 1995; 64 FR 36575, July 7, 1999; 65 FR 39820, June 28, 2000; 73 FR 37839, July 2, 2008]


§ 204.5   Procedures for requesting access to records.



(a) Individuals desiring to obtain access to Copyright Office information pertaining to them in a system of records other than those created under section 705 of title 17 should make a written request, signed by themselves or their duly authorized agent, to that effect either by mail to the Supervisory Copyright Information Specialist, Copyright Information Section, Copyright GC/I&R, P.O. Box 70400, Washington, DC 20024, or in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on any working day except legal holidays at Room LM-401, The James Madison Memorial Building, 1st and Independence Avenue, SE, Washington, DC.

(b) The written request should identify clearly the system of records which is the subject of inquiry, by reference, whenever possible, to the system number and title as given in the notices of systems of records in the Federal Register. Both the written request and the envelope carrying it should be plainly marked “Privacy Act Request.” Failure to so mark the request may delay the Office response.

(c) The Office will acknowledge all properly marked requests within 20 working days of receipt; and will notify the requester within 30 working days of receipt when and where access to the record will be granted. If the individual requested a copy of the record, the copy will accompany such notification.

[43 FR 776, Jan. 4, 1978, as amended at 47 FR 36821, Aug. 24, 1982; 60 FR 34169, June 30, 1995; 64 FR 36575, July 7, 1999; 65 FR 39820, June 28, 2000; 73 FR 37839, July 2, 2008]


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