We have recently updated our guidelines for reproducing and sharing RBSC materials. Please review the following page for information on:
Photographs, Scans, and Reproduction Requests
Permissions
Copyright
Research Agreement
Indemnity
Citations and Acknowledgements
Still have questions after you’ve read this page? Feel free to ask at the reference desk, or email rare.books@ubc.ca
Photographs, Scans, and Reproduction Requests
Patrons are welcome to take their own photographs (without flash) of the materials they consult in the Rare Books and Special Collections reading room, for either personal or commercial use. Commercial use is any usage that includes public display, publication, or distribution, even for academic or non-profit purposes. There are no fees for commercial or personal usage of our materials. Please read the rest of this page for more information on permissions, copyright, and citing materials.
RBSC does not have a self-scanning station, but patrons are welcome to bring in their own scanning devices, provided the scanning devices are contactless (this does not include flatbed scanners). Patrons can also make reproduction requests in the reading room or online. RBSC provides one free hour of scanning to patrons (per research project). For larger scanning orders, please consult our fees page. RBSC can provide a cost estimate for large scanning orders, once a reproduction request has been submitted. After patrons have received an invoice for reproduction services, they can pay the fees through a secure online store.
Select RBSC materials are already digitized and available online for download at Open Collections. For a list of RBSC materials that are already digitized please visit our digital collections page.
Permissions
For permission to display, publish, or distribute images of RBSC materials that are scanned on-demand or that are available through Open Collections, please complete our reproduction/permission requests form online, and select “commercial use” from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
If the image you can download from Open Collections is sufficient for your purposes, you can indicate on the order form in the “Statement of Intended Use” field that you are only seeking permission for the image and do not need new scans, along with the pertinent project details. There are no usage fees for commercial use.
There is no need to request permission from RBSC to use photos taken during your research visit for public display, publication, or distribution. However, please be aware that the patron is responsible for demonstrating that they have taken all reasonable steps to identify rights holders and gain permission before reusing or reproducing material (see Copyright below). Also, the commercial use of all images must be in line with RBSC’s Research Agreement (see more below).
Copyright
Rare Books and Special Collections is the custodian of the physical materials that make up our collections, however, we do not hold the copyright on those materials, with very few exceptions.
While Rare Books and Special Collections can provide permission to use scans created by UBC Library that are otherwise free of rights issues for public display, publication, or distribution, we cannot “clear copyright” for photographs that are taken by patrons of materials that are still under copyright.
In order to determine whether material is under copyright or in the public domain, the Copyright at UBC website may be helpful. The WATCH File (Writers, Artists and Their Copyright Holders), run jointly by the Harry Ransom Center and University of Reading Library, can also be helpful in identifying copyright holders.
Research Agreement
Patrons should be aware that images taken of archival materials are subject to the terms of RBSC’s Research Agreement, and that images containing third-party personal information are for personal research use only. Images of documents containing third-party personal information, as outlined in the Research Agreement, may not be publicly displayed, published, or distributed in any manner.
Indemnity
In receiving or creating reproductions from our holdings, patrons assume all responsibility for infringement of copyright or other rights in their use of the material, including but not limited to claims relating to infringement of copyright, trademark, invasion of rights of privacy or publicity, or libel that arise either directly or indirectly from any use by the patron of the images and/or materials provided by Rare Books and Special Collections.
Patrons agree to indemnify and hold harmless the University of British Columbia, its Board of Governors, officers, employees, agents, students and volunteers for all claims and damages including all legal fees and disbursements and other professional fees, howsoever arising, directly or indirectly, from any use by the patron of the images and/or materials provided by Rare Books and Special Collections.
Citations and Acknowledgements
Please consult the Citing Materials at RBSC section of our Finding and Using Materials in Rare Books and Special Collections research guide for guidance in citing your sources.
At a minimum, the resource title, the name of the collection or fonds (if applicable), the name of our library (Rare Books and Special Collections, University of British Columbia Library), and the identifier or call number should be included in any citations or credits.