Re: Some general questions!

Brian Utterback (blu@jericho.mc.com)
Mon, 1 Aug 94 11:52:52 EDT


> SCENARIO:
> The library has a collection of several thousand photographs
> listed/indexed under various subject categories - which the
> library would like OPENED for general viewing. There is
> limited text associated with each photograph.
>
> Q1. Once these photographs/images are scanned onto the MOSIAC server,
> is it possible for other MOSIAC (client) sites to COPY or
> REPRODUCE these images. The issue here is one of COPYRIGHT
> violations. I guess I would like to know how other institutions
> are handling the copyright issues?

Well copyright is kind of a sticky question here. It is impossible for
any client to present an image to the user without copying the image.
Once the client has the copy, it is impossible to prevent the client
from saving and/or reproducing the image. So, to make the collection
available for viewing you must allow copying.

So, what do you do? Simply, you must rely on the honesty of the viewer.
You must make it crystal clear on all the image pages that the images are
copyright protected. The simplest method would be to have an anchor
at the top of each page that links back to a full copyright page.

On the copyright page you should spell out in no uncertain terms that the
entire collection and every image in it is under copyright protection and
that the images may be viewed but not saved, copied for use other than
viewing, or reproduced. You should allow copies for viewing kept locally,
otherwise you could open a whole can of worms regarding caching. Or if that
is not acceptable you could modify your sevrer to always set the expires date
so that the images are never cached.

Like libraries everywhere, the user is responsible for not violating the law.

Brian Utterback blu@mc.com Manager Technical Networks
Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. (508) 256-1300x168
199 Riverneck Road (508) 256-3599 FAX
Chelmsford, MA 01824 You can't grep dead trees.