Hands Meeting Focuses on Year's
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a All Hands Meeting Focuses on Year’s Accomplishments Judith Nierman photos by cecelia rogers From left, David Carson, Copyright Office staff gathered in the Coolidge Auditorium for an all hands Michele Woods, Jim Enzinna, meeting on October 20. Presentations began with Liz Scheffler, chief operating Jewel Player, and Syreeta officer, who reviewed the accomplishments of the year. She noted that 2.4 million Swann-Joseph told staff Copyright Office records had been digitized to date with 68 million records of about fiscal 2010 projects in registration and recordation to go. She said that the Office cleared 682,148 claims their areas. in fiscal 2010 and registered 636,527 claims. Among the chief accomplishments of the year, she included the initiation of telework, the eCO upgrade, the section 1201 study, the section 115 reauthorization, the records digitization project, December 2010 reengineering in the Licensing Division, the first Aspiring Leaders Program, and the International Copyright Conference. Syreeta Swann-Joseph, a senior information specialist in the Public Information 2 · Register’s Corner Office and one of the first staffers to work from home, said that teleworking “has 3 · Distinguished Lecture been an exceptional experience. I’m really productive, completing more than 100 emails a day. Telework is good for the Office,” she concluded. Scheffler thanked all 3 · AIPLA Honors who undertook telework with the first wave of available laptops. “You are like 4 · Appointments pilgrims to a new land,” she observed. Next to speak was General Counsel David Carson. He said that only one piece 7 · Anniversaries of copyright legislation had been passed by Congress in fiscal 2010—the Satellite 8 · Obituary Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 (STELA). (See the September 2010 issue of Copyright Notices.) STELA, which extended the section 119 license until 2014, 10 · Out & About requires the Office to conduct a study and present recommendations to Congress 12 · Copyright Lore on how to phase out the satellite and cable licensing systems. Other proposed ‹ Continues on page 9 › 2 Register’s Corner This is my final column assignment to educate the staff and the public as Register. I start my on the provisions of the 1976 Copyright Act to new life as a retiree on prepare them for its implementation on January judith niermanjudith January 1, albeit with quite 1, 1978. Not quite so enjoyable, but extremely a few commitments in the necessary, was the Office’s implementation photo by photo copyright sphere. My almost program. This was hard work. Every regulation, Marybeth Peters 45 years in the Copyright every practice, and every piece of paper had to Office have been challenging, be changed. It was a daunting and tedious task rewarding, and full of joy. that consumed most managers and supervisors You all have been wonderful. I recently described as well as the lawyers. you as family, and, in my mind, you are. I so I’ve had many different jobs within the Office, appreciate your contributions to the public, to and I enjoyed them all. More than anything else, the Office, to the Library, and to each other. We however, I enjoyed the people I worked with have accomplished much together. and the people I met. The mission of the Office When I reflect on my career and its ups and is important, and you carry it out every day. downs and try to decide what I enjoyed the Authors, other creators, the copyright industries, most, I inevitably identify the year 1977 and my and the public benefit. You serve them well, and they appreciate your efforts. Over the years, I have met many of our constituents. More often than not, I am told about the wonderful people “I’ve had many different jobs within the in the Office who have helped them. They comment on your expertise, courteousness, and Office, and I enjoyed them all. More than desire to help. anything else, however, I enjoyed the people I I so appreciate the celebration of my retirement on December 3, the remarks of worked with and the people I met.” Dr. Billington, David Carson, Maria Pallante, Nanette Petruzzelli, and Michele Woods, as well as the musical tribute by a fine group of singers from the Office who presented an unbelievably warm and funny lyric by Laura Lee Fischer and Alice Parrish. Ending the celebration with the “Electric Slide,” whose Copyright Notices 58 : 12 Published by the Publications Section, creator had been seeking to register a claim in Information & Records Division, its choreography, was icing on the cake. (After Copyright Office, Library of Congress a long and hard deliberation, the Review Board Writer ⁄ Editors: Wendi Maloney, 707-0979; Judith Nierman, refused to register.) I thank all who assisted and 707-6816. Designer: Cecelia Rogers, participated in this event, and I thank all for my 707-3313. Printing Oversight: Teresa McCall, 707-8831. Distribution: Jennifer present—a gift certificate for an Apple laptop, DesBordes, Supervisor; Khan McKay and something I will cherish for years. Fred Weiss. Helen Hester-Ossa, Head, Publications You are exceptional. I will always remember Section, Information & Records you. Your contributions are, and have been, Division · George Thuronyi, Assistant 2 Chief · David Christopher, Acting awesome, and I thank you all. Chief · Marybeth Peters, Register of Copyrights Suggestions for articles and comments M are welcomed. Please call for deadlines. Marybeth Peters Register of Copyrights Copyright Notices | December 2010 3 Marybeth Peters Presents Distinguished Lecture Judith Nierman Register of Copyrights Marybeth Peters being revised, a process that took nearly a presented the sixth annual Finnegan quarter of a century. The Register said that the Distinguished Lecture on Intellectual Property Copyright Office played a critical role in the on November 4 at the American University enactment of the 1976 Copyright Act, and, in her Washington College of Law in the District. The talk, she paid homage to the Office for that role. lecture was cosponsored by the Program on Also speaking were attorneys Jon Baumgarten, Information Justice and Intellectual Property a former Copyright Office general counsel, and of American University and the law firm of Arthur Levine, who worked in the Office for Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett, and eight years during the revision efforts. Dunner, one of the largest intellectual property To hear the program, go to www.wcl.american. firms in the world. Entitled “The 1976 Copyright edu/go/finnegan-2010. For further information, Act: Prologue and Epilogue,” the Register’s talk go to www.ipbrief.net/2010/11/08/marybeth-peters- was not a scholarly presentation but a reflection speaks-at-the-sixth-annual-finnegan-lecture/. 2 on the time when the 1909 Copyright Act was AIPLA Honors Copyright Office Staffers Judith Nierman The American Intellectual Property Law at its 2010 annual meeting, held in Washington, Association (AIPLA), a 17,000-member national D.C., on October 22. Those receiving a certificate bar association of intellectual property lawyers, of recognition at a special reception included recognized nine Copyright Office staff members Warren Cytron, Loretta Freeman, Gareth James, Roderick Johnson, Tonya Lewis, Kim Robinson, Lashawne Stafford, Kathryn Sukites, and Melissa Wells. Staffer Needs Donated Leave In recognizing staffers, DeNina Scott, an administrative support clerk in the the AIPLA stated, “your Records Research and Certification Section of the high standards of Information and Records Division, is in need of annual professionalism provide leave donations. Due to complications with a pregnancy leadership by example to and an early delivery, DeNina is requesting donated your colleagues. Your skills leave to recuperate and to take care of her new baby. reward the inventors and DeNina has been approved for the leave donor creators we represent, as program, and her account has been established in the Constitution and the WebTA under her name. Submit your leave donation Congress intend. Your through WebTA in the Leave/Prem Pay section. Please contribution truly serves the contact your T&A clerk if you have any questions. 2 public.” Bravo to the AIPLA honorees! 2 December 2010 | Copyright Notices 4 Appointments Chanda Malik Judith Nierman Chanda Malik was Chanda spent a year at the University of appointed to the position of Maryland Eastern Shore studying psychology technician in the Records and criminal justice. Now she would like to Research and Certification resume her studies, possibly at Georgetown Section (RRC) of the Infor- University, where her mother works. Chanda mation and Records Division, began her federal career in 2002 as a clerk in effective September 13. the Deposit Copies Storage Unit in Landover, In October 2009, Chanda Maryland, where she remained until 2009. Her began serving a detail in prior work experience includes jobs at local photo by judith nierman by judith photo RRC as a customer service restaurants as hostess and waitress, in a medical Chanda Malik representative who staffed insurance billing company as a clerk, and in a the front desk. “Chanda’s dentist’s office as an assistant. There she learned pleasant demeanor and superb multitasking to sterilize instruments and give shots to numb abilities always put the patrons at ease,” said gums. Rosemary Kelly, section head in RRC. Chanda Chanda and her husband, Luqman, are the remained in that position, which became parents of three young children: a daughter, permanent, until she assumed the position of Ya’Niyyah, age nine, and eight-year-old twin boys, technician. “I love my job,” said Chanda, “and I Jalil and Kalil. The family includes Capone, a like dealing with people.” blue pit bull. 2 Catherine Rowland Judith Nierman Catherine Rowland began working in her new N. Carlton Tilley in the U.S. District Court for position as an attorney-advisor in the General the Middle District of North Carolina.