Independent project :: Image licensing at cultural heritage institutions
In the search for obscure and historical images, my work as a professional photo researcher has led me to utilize photographic archives at museums, libraries, archives, and historical societies. These repositories contain unique and amazing images not found in stock photography collections, and provide excellent contextual information in their captions and descriptions. Additionally, staff with a deep knowledge of the collection are a fantastic resource when seeking out images that may not yet be available online.
However, utilizing these unique resources is not always practical in light of the tight deadlines in publication schedules. Where there may only be five days from the time a series of images is found to fulfill a particular request and obtain high-resolution files, typical turnaround times of two weeks (citation) are problematic. Additionally, digitized image collections hidden within the institution’s general website hosted on clunky search interfaces further exacerbate the problem of efficient access.
As I started to speak with curators and archivists regarding the issue, I discovered that these barriers exist for a variety of reasons. This gap in service, it turns out, may be due to a variety of reasons (lack of desire not being one of them).
Broadly speaking, the major challenges to image licensing faced by public institutions include:
1. Complex copyright implications
2. Lack of internal support or political will
3. Lack of technical, administrative, and financial support
4. Lack of expertise regarding image licensing
5. Implications of image licensing on educational/academic use
6. Mitigating inappropriate or unauthorized image use
These are complex issues which have garnered a lot of discussion in the field of library and information science, and the purpose of my research is not to argue for the necessity or validity of an image licensing program. Rather, I am interested in providing guidance on issues of service, marketing, and automation, from the point of view of a professional picture buyer. Image licensing programs cannot be driven solely by the prospect of commercial gain. To be successful is to gain the support of internal stakeholders, generate revenue to cover administrative costs (at the least), and enhance access for photo researchers and the general public.
Click here to read my latest paper, submitted as part of a practicum course at Pratt Institute.
