I agree with Mr. Higgins. One can do a lot more with a
even a mediocre RC copy print in terms of scanning and distributing the image
than a low-resolution JPEG. The point is not so much the medium type that
you issue to a patron but the paper work, applications and other instruments
that you insist they sign prior to receiving a duplicate. All of these
forms that we all work so hard to create and revise every few years are designed
to protect our institutions from liability and to declare the terms under which
we issue copies of material. Beyond that, we must be as vigilant as
possible in verifying that our images have been used properly. Electronic
watermarks can help to identify digital images, but I think that we are always
faced with the possibility that people will misuse our materials.
Peter F. Schmid, CA
Photo Archivist Nantucket Historical Association Nantucket, MA 02554 phone 508-228-1894 fax 508-228-5618 pschmid@nha.org |