Title 2The CongressRelease 119-73

§179p National Film Registry Collection of Library of Congress

Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS › § 179p

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Librarian must try to get archival-quality copies of each film on the National Film Registry as gifts from the owners. The Librarian must also try to obtain the best surviving materials (including preprints) and related research items like background files, production reports, and shooting scripts. Anything given becomes the property of the United States, under title 17. These items will be kept at the Library of Congress as the National Film Registry Collection and made reasonably available to scholars and researchers under rules that follow title 17. The Librarian must use the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia, to store and share preserved films, following title 17 and any agreements with copyright holders.

Full Legal Text

Title 2, §179p

The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Librarian shall endeavor to obtain, by gift from the owner, an archival quality copy of the Registry version of each film included in the National Film Registry. Whenever possible, the Librarian shall endeavor to obtain the best surviving materials, including preprint materials. Copyright owners and others possessing copies of such materials are strongly encouraged, to further the preservation purposes of this Act, to provide preprint and other archival elements to the Library of Congress.
(b)The Librarian shall endeavor to obtain, for educational and research purposes, additional materials related to each film included in the National Film Registry, such as background materials, production reports, shooting scripts (including continuity scripts) and other similar materials.
(c)All copies of films on the National Film Registry that are received as gifts or bequests by the Librarian and other materials received by the Librarian under subsection (b), shall become the property of the United States Government, subject to the provisions of title 17.
(d)All copies of films on the National Film Registry that are received by the Librarian under subsection (a) of this section, and other materials received by the Librarian under subsection (b), shall be maintained in the Library of Congress and be known as the “National Film Registry Collection of the Library of Congress”. The Librarian shall, by regulation, and in accordance with title 17, provide for reasonable access to the films and other materials in such collection for scholarly and research purposes.
(e)The Librarian shall utilize the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center of the Library of Congress at Culpeper, Virginia, to ensure that preserved films included in the National Film Registry are stored in a proper manner, and disseminated to researchers, scholars, and the public as may be appropriate in accordance with—
(1)title 17; and
(2)the terms of any agreements between the Librarian and persons who hold copyrights to such audiovisual works.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 104–285, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3377, which enacted this section and sections 179l to 179o and 179q to 179w of this title and sections 5701 to 5708 of former Title 36, Patriotic Societies and Observances, repealed sections 179 to 179k of this title, enacted provisions set out as a note under section 179l of this title, and repealed provisions set out as a note under section 179 of this title. Sections 5701 to 5708 of former Title 36 were repealed and reenacted as chapter 1517 (§ 151701 et seq.) of Title 36, Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations, by Pub. L. 105–225, § 5(b), Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1499, the first section of which enacted Title 36. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

2005—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–9 added subsec. (e).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

2 U.S.C. § 179p

Title 2The Congress

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73