2. Selection

Key Concepts

introduction
legal restrictions
other criteria
selection policies

additional reading

INTRODUCTION
Libraries and archives initiate imaging programs to meet real or perceived needs. The utility of digital images is most likely ensured when the needs of users are clearly defined, the attributes of the documents are known, and the technical infrastructure to support conversion, management, and delivery of content is appropriate to the needs of the project.

LEGAL RESTRICTIONS
Begin your selection process by considering legal restrictions. Is the material restricted because of privacy, content, or donor concerns? Is it copyright protected? If so, do you have the right to create and disseminate digital reproductions? Laura N. Gasaway, Professor of Law and Director of the Law Library at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, maintains an updated chart summarizing the terms of protection for published and unpublished works. Peter Hirtle of the Cornell Institute for Digital Collections has developed a chart specifically geared to archival and manuscript curators. Additional information on copyright in the digital world is available from the Copyright Management Center at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and from the Copyright Crash Course at the University of Texas.

For copyright laws pertaining to the UK, TASI provides the "Copyright FAQ" co-developed with the Arts and Humanities Data Service.

The Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) offers several publications via subscription or sale on managing intellectual property.

In Spain the author rights are managed by the Spanish Center of Reprográficos Rights.

Note: we'd like to include good sources on copyright for other countries; if you know of any, please drop us a line.

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