To answer Randy Little's question regarding copyright and Flickr, here's the response from Dale Neighbors, manager of Prints and Photographs at the Library of Virginia:
Yes, it is a requirement for participation in the program (The Commons at Flickr) that institutions claim "no known copyright restrictions" on the content that they share. As an established educational institution, the Library of Virginia honors the intellectual property of artists and innovators who make invaluable contributions through their creative disciplines. We are committed to protecting the rights of creators and copyright holders, and are always interested in learning additional information about the images in our permanent collection.
The Adolph Rice Collection was donated to the Library of Virginia without restrictions, and the Library staff could see no reason that these historical images should not be made readily available to the public for research and enjoyment. However, we do not deny the possibility that the sharing of these images may inadvertently infringe upon the rights of copyright holders unknown to us. It is clearly stated on the site that the user of the images understand that the Library of Virginia cannot guarantee that the private or commercial use of the images will not violate the rights of unidentified copyright holders. Users are reminded to conduct an independent analysis of applicable law before proceeding with a particular new use.
Normally the Library charges a standard Usage Fee to reproduce images from our collections, but as George Oates from Flickr noted, "It's liberating and generous to give things away for free - especially when you're a public institution."
Exhibitions Coordinator
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219-8000
804-692-3518
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