SPEC Kit 335: Digital Image Collections and Services · 157
DIGITAL LIBRARY OF THE CARIBBEAN
Guide to Permissions &Copyright/Public Domain Review
http://dloc.com/AA00002865/00004/pdf
www.dloc.com Permissions and Copyright: 5
Workflow Steps
Evaluating materials for copyright:
1. Review or contact a legal advisor to review the country’s copyright laws.v
a. Wikipedia offers a general summary with links to further reading as a first step in this
process.vi
2. Note: items published before 1900 are often simple to review, and most often are in the public
domain.
3. Determine further research requirements, which may include:
a. What are the copyright terms based on (publication date, author death date, material
type)?
b. For copyright terms based on years after the death of the creator, consult reference
materials to determine when the creator died.vii
c. Are there any special considerations?
4. Conduct any additional research needed copyright, and conduct research on other rights when
needed.
5. Decide on the next action:
a. Determine the work is in the public domain.
b. Determine the work has an unclear status and request permissions.
Requesting Permissions:
1. Determine the appropriate contact for requesting permissions.
2. Locate contact information for the rights’ holder or an appropriate group to forward the
request.
a. Scholars and others who have been in contact with the rights’ holders are often able to
pass on the inquiry and/or to share contact information.
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