Click the image for a video demonstration of our updated website.

On March 1, the Copyright Office launched its updated website, www.copyright.gov. The goal of the update was to make the site more user-focused. In order to do so, we surveyed users of the old website, reviewed questions the Public Information Office received, and talked to industry experts. The most common requests were for a site that’s more organized, more responsive, and easier to navigate.

The site features a new header with global navigation and search, eliminating much of the need to use the back button. The footer groups links by topic, so everything is easier to find. We expanded the screen width so you can see more on your screen at once, and it is now mobile-friendly both for smartphones and tablets.

The three main lines of Copyright Office business—Register a Copyright, Record a Document, and Research and Certification—are prominently featured just below the header on the homepage, making it easy to navigate to those subjects. Below them you’ll find “Quick Links” and “Latest News.” Quick Links takes you to Copyright Law, the Code of Federal Regulations, and the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices. Latest News shows you the three most recent news items released by the Copyright Office.

The area below Quick Links and Latest News is divided into four sections for easy navigation: Resources, Education, Policy, and Rulemaking. The entries in each section have been streamlined, so you can find information quickly.

• Resources: The first entry is the direct link to our catalog of copyright records from 1978 to the present. You also can find licensing information, fees, mandatory deposit information, and administrative reports in this section.
• Education: The new History and Education page includes a wealth of information such as the history of copyright law, past reports and publications, and past announcements. The Fair Use Index, FAQs, copyright events, and information for students and teachers also are in this section.
• Policy: This section contains direct links to the most recent policy issues and a link to a page that gives you all active policy studies and policy reports.
• Rulemaking: Just like policy, this section links directly to the most recent rulemakings, and it contains a link to all open and recently closed rulemakings—now listed on the same page for easier reading.

Dineda Nyepan and Michael Ohr work on website updates.

Finally, the homepage links you to the subscription page for Copyright Office updates and this blog, our Twitter feed, and our customer survey. As new suggestions come in, we will continue to add new features and subtract what might not work.

Dineda Nyepan, director of web policy and Internet operations, led the project to update the website. The IT team of Michael Brooks, Annette James, and Michael Ohr and designers Stan Murgolo and David Rice worked with Dineda to complete the assignment.

If you have suggestions or comments about the website, please contact the Copyright Office.