My $.02...

On 4/29/05, Roger Smith <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> They then order custom photo
> enlargements with our online photo service, and thus preclude the necessity
> from buying the art directly.  I am concerned about protecting the rights of
> the artist and equally protecting their livelihood.  I wanted to share this
> with you and  Global Museum readers and was wondering if this is a growing
> trend that you have also been experiencing"

The work is on public display and if the museum doesn't have any rules
against taking pictures, I don't see what is so wrong with it - IF the
people are using said photos for personal use only. Artwork that out
of copyright - which here in the US is basically anything like
pre-1940 (need to check my dates), is in the public domain. The
*photos* of said artwork are what is copyrighted. So for example, you
could take a photo of the Mona Lisa and use it however you wanted but
you couldn't take someone else's photo of the Mona Lisa and use it
without obtaining the correct permissions.

As for photos of documents, again, unless there are no rules against
it and the photos aren't damaging the books, why restrict it? People
will steal things from xeroxes just as easily as stealing them with
their phones or handheld scanners. And those people who want decent
copies will get the good-quality xeroxes done.

Tricky problem but unless museums start making rules against
photographs, people will continue to take them.

I could be setting myself up to get flamed here but that's the way I see it...

deb

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