37 CFR 201.23 – Transfer of unpublished copyright deposits to the Library of Congress
(a) General. This section prescribes rules governing the transfer of unpublished copyright deposits in the custody of the Copyright Office to the Library of Congress. The copyright deposits may consist of copies, phonorecords, or identifying material deposited in connection with registration of claims to copyright under Section 408 of Title 17 of the United States Code. These rules establish the conditions under which the Library of Congress is entitled to select deposits of unpublished works for its collections or for permanent transfer to the National Archives of the United States or to a Federal records center in accordance with Section 704(b) of Title 17 of the United States Code.
(b) Selection by the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress may select any deposits of unpublished works for the purposes stated in paragraph (a) of this section at the time of registration or at any time thereafter; provided that:
(1) A facsimile reproduction of the entire copyrightable content of the deposit shall be made a part of the Copyright Office records before transfer to the Library of Congress as provided by Section 704(c) of Title 17 of the United States Code, unless, within the discretion of the Register of Copyrights, it is considered impractical or too expensive to make the reproduction;
(2) All unpublished copyright deposits retained by the Library of Congress in its collections shall be maintained under the control of the Library of Congress with appropriate safeguards against unauthorized copying or other unauthorized use of the deposits which would be contrary to the rights of the copyright owner in the work under title 17 of the United States Code; and
(3) At the time selection is made a request for full term retention of the deposit under the control of the Copyright Office has not been granted by the Register of Copyrights, in accordance with Section 704(e) of Title 17 of the United States Code.