The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has just released a new publication, "Special Collections and Archives in the Digital Age," that may be of interest to METRO members. This report focuses on legal aspects and professional practices emerging around digitization of special collections and archival materials, and includes four documents meant to serve as a community toolkit for navigating issues involved in increasing access to collections through digitization.
The following is from the official ARL press release:
Special Collections and Archives in the Digital AgeARL Releases Pre-Pub of RLI 279
Washington, DC-The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has released a pre-publication version of Research Library Issues (RLI) no. 279, which is devoted to legal concerns and evolving professional practices around digitizing special collections and archival materials.ARL member libraries have embraced digitization-performed in-house or through commercial vendors-as a critical strategy to increase access to their unique collections. This issue of RLI includes a model digitization contract for use with outside vendors, as well as model "deeds of gift" that can secure permission from rights holders to make donated material accessible on the web. Finally, the issue presents a critical essay by Kevin L. Smith, Director of Scholarly Communications at Duke University, on a new way of thinking about copyright and risk management in digitizing special collections.The complete table of contents with links to the articles follows:
Digitization of Special Collections and Archives: Legal and Contractual Issues
Peter B. Hirtle, Anne R. Kenney, and Judy RuttenbergModel Deed of GiftModel Deed of Gift, including Mixed IP RightsModel Digitization AgreementCopyright Risk Management: Principles and Strategies for Large-Scale Digitization Projects in Special Collections
Kevin L. Smith
The pre-publication version of Research Library Issues no. 279 (June 2012) is freely available from ARL Digital Publications.
