Although U.S. copyright law required copies to be deposited at the time of copyright registration, the Librarian of Congress was not required to retain those copies. "Under the provisions of the act of March 4, 1909, authority is granted for the return to the claimant of copyright of such copyright deposits as are not required by the Library." Report of the Register of Copyrights for the Fiscal Year 1912–1913, Library of Congress, 1913, p. 141.
