2 U.S.C. § 1703 — Seal of the National Recording Registry

(a) In general. The Librarian^* must provide a seal showing that a sound recording^* is in the National Recording Registry and is the Registry version^*.

(b) Use of seal. The Librarian must issue approval guidelines. (1) The seal may appear only on copies of the Registry version. (2) A person may use it only after the Librarian approves that person under the guidelines. (3) For a copyrighted work that is mass-distributed, broadcast, or published, only the copyright owner or an authorized licensee may put, or authorize putting, the seal on a copy of a Registry-version recording maintained in the Library of Congress collection. (4) An authorized person may add the statutory statement that the Librarian, consulting the National Recording Preservation Board^*, selected the recording because of its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.

(c) Effective date. Use of the seal becomes effective when the Librarian publishes the recording’s selected name in the Federal Register under section 1702(b).

(d) Prohibited uses. (1) A person who knowingly distributes or publicly exhibits a recording or copy bearing the seal may not do so if the recording is not in the Registry, or is in the Registry but the Librarian has not approved use of the seal under (b). (2) A person may not knowingly use the seal to promote a version or copy that is not the Registry version.

(e) Remedies. (1) United States district courts may, for shown cause, prevent or restrain violations of (d). (2)(A) Except as in (B), the only relief for a violation is removal of the seal. (B) For a willful pattern or practice, the court may impose a civil fine of up to $10,000 and suitable injunctive relief. (3) These are the exclusive remedies under this chapter and any federal or state law for use of the seal.