A Library exhibition devoted to the role of copyright in America closed on April 10 in conjunction with a yearlong renovation of the Copyright Office facilities.
Selections from the extensive collection of Americana held by the Copyright Office. An exhibition from this collection closed recently, and will reopen after extensive renovation of the Copyright Office. - Carol Highsmith
The exhibition, "By Securing to Authors: Copyright, Commerce and Creativity in America," has been on display on the fourth floor of the Library's James Madison Building since December 1984. A new exhibition is planned to open in 2008 after the Copyright Office renovation is complete in 2007.
Established in the Library of Congress in 1870, the Copyright Office (www.copyright.gov) houses the mint record of American creativity. The office enriches the Library of Congress collections through the general requirement to deposit two copies of each published work for copyright registration or for deposit under the mandatory provisions of the copyright law. Approximately 1 million copies in various formats are transferred to the Library's collections annually.
The exhibition featured a wide range of items that have been copyrighted in America, including original Ken and Barbie dolls, the typescript of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and a statue of the Maltese Falcon that was used in the film of the same name. The many examples of American pop culture, such as a "Star Wars" pop-up book and Bert and Ernie Muppet figures, made the exhibition a popular attraction for school groups visiting the Library of Congress. The exhibition also demonstrated that the protection copyright offers to commercially successful works helps to ensure profits for creators.
