Copyright and the Digicenter
Copyright status is an important aspect of the
digitization process. It is not possible to assume that we have the
right to digitize and duplicate everything we are presented with.
Potential digitization users should know the copyright status of the
media to be digitized. If the user does not know exactly what the
status is for their media, they will be provided with a checklist
worksheet that will help to determine the status of their project.
Additionally, when necessary, the Digicenter can help determine
copyright information to the best of our abilitiy.
The majority of our work should be protected under fair use guidelines,
as it is for educational purposes. If a user is interested in
digitization, and is unsure if their media falls under fair use, this checklist from the University of Indiana may help.
If problems arrive determining copyright status, or if particular
images are of inferior quality, or in other ways unsuitable for
digitization, there are alternatives to digitization. Furman currently
subscribes to ARTstor,
which is an extensive online database of art-related images. The
service allows for varying quality downloads, at no additional
fee. It contains over 500,000 images, and is a good source for
presentation or web images. Another alternative is the website ScholarsResource.com,
which provides high quality images for a one-time download fee. Paying
a fee of several dollars per image allows complete copyright release.
The website offers a limited number of art textbook image set
supplements in addition to its single image downloads.
The Digicenter strives to get permission from copyright holders when it
does not already have it. Furman has already established itself as an
institution concerned with maintaining copyright standards and law, and
the center recognizes and upholds this. A digital watermark will
be applied during the digitization process. Digital watermarks are
invisible, and provide adequate copyright information while being easy
to add to media during the metadata process.
Click here to download a copy of the Digicenter's Copyright Policy.