Kaminstein Program banner

Kaminstein Program

Abraham L. Kaminstein, 6th Register

Through its Abraham L. Kaminstein Scholar in Residence Program, the Copyright Office is honored to invite leading academics with a demonstrated commitment to the study of copyright law and policy to spend time at the Copyright Office, conducting research and working on mutually beneficial projects. Appointments are not made on any fixed schedule but are instead based on the availability of qualified candidates and meaningful projects as well as the Office's funding and priorities at the time of consideration.

Academics (professors, fellows, and the like) with significant experience teaching or analyzing issues in legal, copyright, and related fields and who are interested in the Abraham L. Kaminstein Scholar Program should submit a letter of inquiry describing their research interests as they relate to the Copyright Office, accompanied by a current CV or resume, to [email protected].

Abraham L. Kaminstein served as the sixth Register of Copyrights, from 1960 to 1971. He was a leading force in adapting the copyright registration system to the public interest, and in laying the groundwork for the general revision of copyright law.

Hiring Policies


Current Scholar in Residence

Nancy E. Weiss
Research Focus (2024): Engagement and research related to the protection, preservation, access to, and use of diverse forms of traditional cultural expressions

Past Scholars in Residence

Professor Joel Waldfogel of the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management
Research focus (2021-2022): Examining women’s authorship rates in the U.S. copyright registration system (read report)

Professor Steven R. Wilf of the University of Connecticut School of Law
Research focus (2016–2017): Historical development of the Copyright Office and mechanisms of deposit

Professor Zvi Rosen of Hofstra University
Research focus (2015–2016): Empirical data concerning public access to pre-1978 copyright records

Professor Robert Brauneis of the George Washington University Law School
Research focus (2013–2014): Statistical analysis of electronic copyright catalog
Additional focus: Recordation of copyright documents (read report)