Draft
April 9, 2001
Background
Historic images found in collecting
repositories (primarily archives and museums) have inherent monetary value in
that they are desirable for use by publishers, authors, and collectors. Prior to
digital technology, this most often meant providing the patron with a
photographic print, for which both production and use costs were charged. Permissions, fee schedules, and use
limitations have developed across the profession to help insure that these
“assets” held by collecting repositories are not “stolen” from them by a patron
who further reproduces the images for additional use or multiple distribution.
Digitization of images and documents make our historic resources accessible to
many more people, for valid reasons and legitimate purposes. At the same time however, digitization
compromises our ability to secure the one resource we can use to help fund our
operations. The ease with which
digital images can be reproduced, the relative low cost of doing so, the
availability of user-friendly technology which requires minimum skill level, and
the speed with which the images can spread via the internet have made obsolete
the many checks and balances relied on by curators and archivists in the past to
control unwarranted distribution.
Requests for digital images
Requests
for reproduction of documents from the IIT Archives in digital format will be
made on an individual basis. A
formal written request identifying the image(s) to be used and the intended
purpose is needed to initiate the process.
The Archives may limit the number of images provide to any single source,
or for any single purpose. The
Archives reserves the right to decline supplying a digital image of any item in
its collection.
Scanning specifications
Images
being requested for use on websites and other non-print* purposes will be
scanned at low resolution quality, not to exceed
384 x 256 ppi, 72 dpi screen resolution, 300 dpi
print resolution, and 16 bit
grayscale or RGB color. (Should
future technology allow low resolution images to be “doctored” to produce a
higher resolution, such manipulation would not be allowed.) Images may be cropped without prior
permission so long as the historical content of the image in not compromised,
but any further manipulation of the digital image may not be done without prior
approval. In particular, the
restriction against changing the height-to-width ratio is specifically
disallowed here. Any manipulation
of the image (except cropping) must be so stated on the
website.
*Non-print is defined to include printouts
made from websites. Print purpose
is defined to mean books, magazines, posters and other such paper-based formats
normally created for mass distribution.
Watermarks
The
Archives reserves the right to supply any of its digital images with a watermark
embedded on the image. The
watermark may not be removed by the patron.
Conveying the digital
file
The
digital file will normally be supplied to the patron as a TIF via email. Saving a copy of the file on disk is not
permitted. The image may be backed
up via the patron’s normal procedure for the length of time the image is being
used according to the original agreement.
Both the primary file and the backup should be deleted when the image is
removed from the website.
Identifying the image
IIT is concerned that images from its
collections be used appropriately (to protect the reputation of the university)
and that they be identified correctly (to insure a consistent and accurate
account of the university’s history).
The Archives will not require that captions and text used with the
image(s) be approved in advance, but will be proactive in ascertaining the
intended context of images and will request clarification when the Archives
feels that is needed. The Archives
is happy to assist with identifications, and welcomes the opportunity to review
captions or text if requested. The
Archives may monitor the user’s website to check for information shown there
about the images.
Identifying the source of the
image
All images from the IIT Archives must be
credited. The preference is that
the source identification be placed as close to the image as possible on
websites. Identification of both
the repository (IIT Archives) and the collection source (e.g., Mies van der Rohe
Biographical File) may be requested.
The specific citation will be supplied with the digital
image.
Copyright Issues
Most of the images in the IIT Archives
collections are unidentified as to photographer and source. To the extent possible, the Archives
will advise patrons with regard to presumed copyright status of a particular
image. Suggestions will be offered
when possible as to how the patron might identify the copyright holder. However, it is the patron’s
responsibility to conduct and document a copyright search, putting forth a good
faith effort to identify the copyright owner and seeking the owner’s permission
to use the image on a website. When
a copyright owner is identified and contacted, the patron will supply the
Archives with a copy of the owner’s permission statement allowing the image to
be copied and used. IIT faculty,
staff and students using images on sites they are creating must also supply the
Archives with a statement from the university’s General Counsel indicating that
the image is approved for website use.
The Archives may decline to supply a digital image if there is reason to
believe that the copyright search has not been appropriately conducted and that
providing the digital image may put the university at risk. Images supplied to patrons for which
copyright has not been determined and secured will be accompanied by a statement
which allows the patron to use the image “in so far as IIT has any rights to the
image.”
Costs
The Archives charges both production costs
and use fees for digital images.
Images are scanned in Galvin Library only, and work can normally be done
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. only. Images supplied to non-IIT persons will
be scanned at the convenience of Galvin Library by Library staff or student
employees under the direction of the University Archivist. Under certain circumstances, the
Archives may permit images requested by IIT faculty, staff, or students to be
scanned by the requesting person; the work will be done under supervision and
during normal office hours as stated above.
Cost/fee schedule:
Production cost
$20.00 per image for non-IIT users
$??.00 per image for IIT-users if scanned by Galvin
staff
$5.00 per image for IIT-users if scanned by user
Use fee
$50.00 per image per year for use on commercial (.com)
websites
$25.00 per image per year on other websites
$10.00 per image per year for IIT-projects with
funding
No fee for IIT-projects without funding
The website URL must be supplied to the
Archives, and payment must be made before the digital file is transmitted. The Archives will monitor websites for
compliance to the rules as outlined in this
document.
-----Original Message-----Apologies if this has been discussed recently--have had the list set to
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU]On Behalf Of Maprender@AOL.COM
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 11:25 AM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Permission forms for digital photographs
NOMAIL for a while. Is there a sample form somewhere that a small repository
could adapt for our use when allowing someone to make a digital copy of a
photograph we own? .A local schoolteacher wants to come in and photograph
some photos--but how can we control what becomes of them after she does her
one-time project?
Mary Prendergast
Harding Twp. Historical Society, New Vernon, NJ
maprender@aol.com