So a full year after I sent in my copyright application along with a CD containing the images to be registered, I get a letter from the "Triage" division of the LOC telling me that they so radiation-zapped the letter that the CD is now unreadable.

Oh well, there goes $45. I also sent printouts of the images so I am assuming that the copyright was registered nonetheless, thought they don't mention that.

The good news is that they say it will soon be possible to register your copyrights online. I highly recommend this but I think it would be better to send in a hard copy -- archival, too. It will last longer than jpegs ever will.

but in the meantime, don't bother sending electronic media. I can't imagine what sort of radiation they use, but if it damages CDRoms then nothing else can survive it either.