The Copyright Office website
dedicated to orphan works and Copyright Office activities
related to orphan works can be found at www.copyright.gov/orphan.
The U.S. Copyright Office has been at the center of orphan
works activity in the United States, hosting public
roundtables on orphan works, briefing Congress on various
proposals and options, and working with interested parties
on their support and/or concerns. Beginning in 2005 the
Copyright Office conducted a year long study of orphan
works. 721 initial public comments and 146 reply comments
were formally submitted as part of this process.
Their 127 page final report (pdf) was issued on January 30, 2006
with legislative recommendations on page 127 of the
report.
Jule Sigal, the former Policy and Planning Advisor to the
Register of Copyrights, testified before Congress twice on
orphan works. He first testified on March 8, 2006 in the House
Judiciary Committee, followed by testimony before the Senate Judiciary
Committee on April 6, 2006.
Marybeth Peters, the Register of Copyrights, testified at
the House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on March 13,
2008.