I recently put up a website on copyright policy and law for the University of Virginia. This was reviewed by the legal counsel office here but of course many of these issues are changing rapidly with the growth of electronic publications. You can check out what we have up at
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/copyright. There is a resource page with links that might be of use as well as copies of forms for gaining permission when you don't explicitly have it.

Josie.

quigley wrote:

> Dear sjdv:
>
> >as i am fairly new to the list, i hope that this is not a repeat of a
> >recently asked question--can someone recommend a good guide re copyright
> >and publishing issues for small organizations?
>
> You will find useful tips on copyright at the RARIN  (Rights and
> Reproduction Information Network) website - a site provided by the
> Registrars Committee of AAM.   It doesn't include guidelines - per se, but
> is useful nonetheless.  The URL is
> http://www.panix.com/~squigle/rarin/01rcsite.html
>
> >i am working with a
> >non-profit that has a small archive.  they would like to print
> >notecards/postcards/guides using their archival images. some images they
> >very clearly have the rights to--the photographer signed a deed of
> >gift--
>
> A comment here: unless the deed of gift by the photographer explicitly
> gives you a license to reproduce the work in anyway you choose (or
> explicitly gives you copyright) and even though you have a deed of gift for
> the work itself - you do not own the copyright - that resides with the
> photographer if living and even if deceased - with his/her heirs or assigns
> for a good period (check out the handy-dandy table at the website (go to
> "Surveys, Samples & Shortcuts" - then go to "When Works Pass Into the
> Public Domain").
>
> >others are images that at one point were the property of a now
> >defunct newspaper and not all of them have photographer information.  i
> >have looked at the u.s. copyright info but i'm really looking for a
> >source that will guide small museums and non-profits through the
> >publishing process.
>
> Again, assume you do not own copyright unless you have a document that
> explicitly states you do.  RARIN is likely offering a preconference
> workshop on copyright at the next AAM meeting in Baltimore.  I hope someone
> more versed in copyright than I, can answer your question about the
> newspapers images.  Your question regarding a guide sounds like a good
> suggestion/project for RARIN.  Hope to see you at AAM.
>
> Suzanne Quigley
> Chair, RARIN (an RC-AAM Taskforce)
> Head Registrar
> Whitney Museum of American Art
>
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