This brings up some questions.

1) What was the purpose of the transcriptions you
ordered? Will they or will they not be accessible to
the public?

2) If these transcriptions are NOT accessible to the
public, how did you justify spending taxpayers' money
[I am assuming you did not get a special *private*
grant for this work] on transcriptions that will not
be accessible to the public?

3) If you claim that these transcriptions are not
accessible to the public--can you legally enforce
this? At least in Pennsylvania, such information held
by a public agency can be legally requested by a
member of the general public under the Pennsylvania
Right-to-Know Law. Further, if your agency receives
any Federal funds, this information may also be
legally accessible through the Freedom of Information
Act.

4) If this information is accessible to the public,
and any member of the public could come in and,
potentially, use the information for a book, what is
wrong with these consultants using the information for
a book?

gaw

--- Lynn Laffey <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Looking for thoughts and opinions... 
> 
> Recently, two consultants that were hired to
> transcribe several diaries 
> for our institution requested permission to use
> information from these 
> transcriptions for a book they hope to publish. 
> This has caused some 
> debate with our staff.  
> 
> Our main concern is that since we paid these
> professionals to produce 
> these transcriptions, that we may be crossing
> ethical lines by then 
> granting them permission to use this work product
> for their own profit?  
> 
> It was also mentioned that...in the future we should
> consider 
> that “paid” consultants can not produce a product
> based upon work 
> performed under contract.   However, I am not sure
> that this would be 
> enforcable.  (ie. a preservation architect
> reproducing/referencing the 
> work they did for us in an article) 
> 
> Has anyone come across this issue? Any thoughts or
> opinions would be 
> helpful.  Thanks you.
> 
> Lynn Laffey
> Morris County Park Commission

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh
Electronic Mail - < [log in to unmask] >
NEWS - Astronomy, Space, Science:
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* Astronomer & Optician John A. Brashear: 
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com > 
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: 
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc > 
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh: 
  < http://www.incline.cc >

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