The U.S. Copyright Office today released the official version of its Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition. The Compendium is “the governing administrative manual for registrations and recordations issued by the Office.” According to the Copyright Office, “[t]he Compendium serves as a technical manual for the Office’s staff, as well as a guidebook for authors, copyright licensees, practitioners, scholars, the courts, and members of the general public.” Intended as a comprehensive guide to U.S Copyright Office practices, the Compendium also “addresses fundamental principles of copyright law, such as creation, publication, registration, and renewal… routine questions such as who may file an application and who may request copies of the Office’s records,” and “recent changes to the Office’s recordation practices.” The official webpage for the Compendium can be found here, and the full 1,288 page document can be downloaded here.