Barbara Ringer
Encyclopedia
Barbara Ringer was the first female Register of Copyrights
in the United States Copyright Office
, an important contributor to United States copyright law
in the 20th century, and a key force behind the preparation and passage of the 1976 Copyright Act.
on May 29, 1925 and received her undergraduate and masters degrees from George Washington University
. She became one of the first females to attend Columbia Law School
, receiving her law degree from there in 1949. After graduating, she joined the staff of the Copyright Office as an examiner.
in 1955 and represented the United States during several international copyright talks.
In 1971, Ringer sued the Library of Congress
for sex discrimination and race discrimination after being passed over for promotion to the position of Register of Copyrights. She worked as director of the Copyright Division of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris
from 1972 to 1973 while the case was being litigated. She was eventually successful in the lawsuit and became the 9th Register of Copyrights on November 19, 1973.
Ringer herself described the 1976 Copyright Act as being
In 1977, Ringer was awarded the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service
, for her role in the passage of the 1976 Copyright Act.
, where she lived alone, having never married nor have children. She subsequently joined the law firm of Spencer & Kaye.
In 1993, she returned to the Copyright Office to serve as cochair of
the Librarian's Advisory Committee on Copyright Registration and Deposit and then as acting
Register of Copyrights from November 1993 to August 1994. The Library of Congress awarded her its Distinguished Service Award in 1995 for her "lifetime contributions to the field of copyright, both nationally and intentionally, and for her contributions to the Library of Congress over a period of 40 years."
Ringer died in a nursing home in Lexington, Virginia
, on April 9, 2009.
Register of Copyrights
The Register of Copyrights is the director of the United States Copyright Office within the Library of Congress, as provided by . The Office has been headed by a Register since 1897...
in the United States Copyright Office
United States Copyright Office
The United States Copyright Office, a part of the Library of Congress, is the official U.S. government body that maintains records of copyright registration in the United States. It is used by copyright title searchers who are attempting to clear a chain of title for copyrighted works.The head of...
, an important contributor to United States copyright law
United States copyright law
The copyright law of the United States governs the legally enforceable rights of creative and artistic works under the laws of the United States.Copyright law in the United States is part of federal law, and is authorized by the U.S. Constitution...
in the 20th century, and a key force behind the preparation and passage of the 1976 Copyright Act.
Early life
Barbara Ringer was born in Lafayette, IndianaLafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
on May 29, 1925 and received her undergraduate and masters degrees from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. She became one of the first females to attend Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, receiving her law degree from there in 1949. After graduating, she joined the staff of the Copyright Office as an examiner.
Copyright Office Career
Ringer consistently advanced in the Copyright Office throughout the 1950s, eventually becoming assistant Register of Copyrights in 1966. She helped draft the Universal Copyright ConventionUniversal Copyright Convention
The Universal Copyright Convention , adopted at Geneva in 1952, is one of the two principal international conventions protecting copyright; the other is the Berne Convention....
in 1955 and represented the United States during several international copyright talks.
In 1971, Ringer sued the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
for sex discrimination and race discrimination after being passed over for promotion to the position of Register of Copyrights. She worked as director of the Copyright Division of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from 1972 to 1973 while the case was being litigated. She was eventually successful in the lawsuit and became the 9th Register of Copyrights on November 19, 1973.
Work on 1976 Copyright Act
During her career at the Copyright Office, Ringer was instrumental in the process leading up to the passage of the 1976 Copyright Act. She worked closely with Registers Arthur Fisher and Abraham Kaminstein throughout the 1950s and 1960s to update copyright law in light of the technological progress since the 1909 Copyright Act. She also played a large role negotiating with the many divisive private interests that played a role in the drafting process. The result was one of only two wholesale revisions of copyright law in U.S. history.Ringer herself described the 1976 Copyright Act as being
not a ‘general revision’ in the same sense that the 1909 Act was, i.e., a bringing together of scattered statutory provisions with relatively few changes or innovations. The New Act is rather a completely new copyright statute, intended to deal with a whole range of problems undreamed of by the drafters of the 1909 Act. Even more important, the new statute makes a number of fundamental changes in the American copyright system, including some so profound that they may mark a shift in direction for the very philosophy of copyright itself. Properly designated, the New Act is not a ‘general revision,’ but is as radical a departure as was our first copyright statute, in 1790.
In 1977, Ringer was awarded the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service
President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service
Established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 27 June 1957 by , the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service was created to allow the President to recognize civilian officers or employees of the federal government who have made contributions "so outstanding that the officer...
, for her role in the passage of the 1976 Copyright Act.
Retirement and Later Life
Ringer retired from the Copyright Office on May 30, 1980 and moved to rural Bath County, VirginiaBath County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,048 people, 2,053 households, and 1,451 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 2,896 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile...
, where she lived alone, having never married nor have children. She subsequently joined the law firm of Spencer & Kaye.
In 1993, she returned to the Copyright Office to serve as cochair of
the Librarian's Advisory Committee on Copyright Registration and Deposit and then as acting
Register of Copyrights from November 1993 to August 1994. The Library of Congress awarded her its Distinguished Service Award in 1995 for her "lifetime contributions to the field of copyright, both nationally and intentionally, and for her contributions to the Library of Congress over a period of 40 years."
Ringer died in a nursing home in Lexington, Virginia
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, on April 9, 2009.