WASHINGTON – Today, the Committee on House Administration held a hearing entitled: Improving Customer Service for the Copyright Community. During the hearing, Committee Members discussed with witnesses the current IT functionality of the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office, areas where the Copyright Office is focused on improving their overall customer service, and how, working together, the leadership within the Library and its Copyright Office are meeting the demands of today’s digital age. Chairman Candice Miller (R-MI) and Ranking Member Bob Brady (D-PA) issued the following statements:

“The Copyright Office is a critical component of our nation’s economic growth as it assists in innovation, creativity, and the distribution of those creative products. The Copyright Office needs to be as forward thinking as its customers – this means they need a technology infrastructure to meet the demands of their customers,” Miller said. “Today, the Committee heard from the Library regarding their inefficient IT system and how those inadequacies have been impacting the Copyright Office and the copyright community. While much work is still needed, we are encouraged that the Library is addressing areas that require immediate attention and long-term improvements in order to properly support the Copyright Office.”

“Investing in a robust, modern Copyright Office needs to be a top priority for the Library of Congress and I’m glad that Acting Librarian David Mao is making the right investments to provide this important service,” Brady said. “I will continue to work with the Librarian and his team to make sure he has the resources he needs to provide good customer service for this component of the Library’s important mission.”

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