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Legislative History – Copyright Act of 1909

The Copyright Act of 1909 was a landmark US law that refined copyright as a legal right and defined its scope, duration, and requirements for registration. It replaced the previous copyright law and was in effect from 1909 until it was superseded by the Copyright Act of 1976 (which took effect in 1978). Key provisions of the 1909 Act established a 28-year term for copyrighted works, with the right to renew for a second term; required registration and a copyright notice to appear with the work claiming protection; and extended protection to sheet music and the performance thereof, while also setting up a 'mechanical licensing' board to authorize musical performances at set rates without requiring arduous individual contract negotiations.

Submissions from 1905 1905

Letter from Sen. Kittredge to Librarian of Congress, dated January 27, 1905, recommending that Librarian call conference, United States Congress

Stenographic Report of the Proceedings of the Librarian's Conference on Copyright, 1st Session, in New York City, May 31-June 2, 1905, United States Congress

Excerpt from Report of the Librarian of Congress for fiscal year ending June 30, 1905, United States Congress

Stenographic Report of the Proceedings of the Librarian's Conference on Copyright, 2d Session, in New York City, November 1-4, 1905, United States Congress

Submissions from 1906 1906

Notice of March 6, 1906 from Librarian for the conference to be held March 13-16, 1906 and accompanying memorandum, United States Congress

Stenographic Report of the Proceedings of the Librarian's Conference on Copyright, 3d Session, at Library of Congress, Washington, D. C., March 13-16, 1906, United States Congress

Letter of April 17, 1906 from Register of Copyrights concerning importation clause of proposed copyright bill, United States Congress

Arguments before the Committee on Patents, May 2, 1906, United States Congress

Arguments before the Committee on Patents, May 3, 1906, United States Congress

Initial Revision Bills of 1906, S. 6330 and HR 19853, compared with copyright law in force in December, 1904, United States Congress

Hearings before the (Joint) Committees on Patents, June 6-9, 1906, United States Congress

Hearings before the (Joint) Committees on Patents, December 7-11, 1906, United States Congress

Submissions from 1907 1907

Memorandum dated January 22, 1907 in support of Copyright Office substitute for Section 18 of the Bill, United States Congress

H. R. Report 7083, January 30, 1907 with HR25133 attached. 59th Cong. 2d Session, United States Congress

S. Report 6187, February 5, 1907, with S. 8190 attached. 59th Cong. 2d Session, United States Congress

S. Report 6187, Ft. 2, February 7, 1907 (Minority Report) 59th Cong. 2d Session, United States Congress

H. R. Report 7083, pt. 2, March 2, 1907 (Minority Report) 59th Cong. 2d Session, United States Congress

Submissions from 1908 1908

Hearings before the (Joint) Committees on Patents, March 26-28, 1908, United States Congress

Some miscellaneous amendments to S. 6330 and HR 19853 proposed to the Copyright Office, United States Congress

Submissions from 1909 1909

Hearings before the Copyright Subcommittees of the Committees on Patents, January 20, 1909, United States Congress

H. R. Rep. 2222, February 22, 1909 with HR 28192 attached., United States Congress

Miscellaneous copyright bills and Act of 1909, United States Congress

Debates and passage of copyright revision bill on floors of House and Senate, United States Congress

✪ An Act to Amend and Consolidate the Acts Representing Copyright ✪, United States Congress

Excerpts from the Report of the Register of Copyrights for the fiscal years 1906-1907, 1907-1908 and 1908-1909, United States Congress

Excerpts from article in the Publishers Weekly for July 3, 1909 summarizing revision history, United States Congress

Submissions from 1976 1976

Calendar of Legislative History of the Copyright Act of 1909, United States Congress

Section-by-Section Cross Index, United States Congress

Subject Index, E. Fulton Brylawski and Abe Goldman

About the Compilers, E. Fulton Brylawski

Preface by Benjamin Rudd, Benjamin Rudd

Editors' Note, E. Fulton Brylawski

Table of Contents, E. Fulton Brylawski and Abe Goldman