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Dec 11

Web Imagery, Libraries, and Copyright Policies

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Okay, so... Working for a library, but also knowing all about ownership rights and the blurry lines between proper usage and improper usage, it always irks me when I don't know what the correct thing to do is.

Many times, I'm asked to place up imagery on our website that is not our own. We do not own the material, it is not from a free* clipart library, and it was not created by me (or in the case of generalization - anyone else within the organization). More often than not, it is book cover imagery directly from our "Patron Access Catalog"...the web-based book/item search for libraries. Now, the vendor (maker of our PAC) has an agreement with Syndetics and therefore with all of the book manufacturers to license these images, and it extends to our use of it within our own organization for use within the PAC.

However, does this grant satellite libraries with their own website (namely, us) the exclusive right to also pull these images and use them? Amazon also allows users of their API to pull book cover imagery, and because of that, I would think if I were to use that, I would be OK in doing so. But - am I? Is it really lawful and legal to use these images for our own use of marketing and publication (in either instance)?



* "Free" depending on the terms of use from the author and distributor.

Posted by Brendon Kozlowski

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  1. Mike says:
    12/11/2007 03:09:44 PM

    Not sure how your licensing agreement with syndetics works (as you are getting it through the ils vendor while we are dealing directly with syndetics) but I did clarify with syndetics that the images could be used outside the opac (eg: on website booklists). I even clarified that we could actually create a new image that used a syndetics cover as part of the new image (for eg: a book cover with some text of your own) as long as the book cover was not cropped or altered).

  2. Brendon Kozlowski says:
    12/11/2007 04:38:06 PM

    Thanks, Mike. I think part of me simply wants to have a definitive answer one way or another. I'm afraid that my system tech-staff might fluff it off to "fair use" as that seems to be the standard excuse around here - which to me, isn't a good enough answer. I know you can't provide the answer, so hearing what others have done is helpful. If it comes down to it, I may have to contact Syndetics.

    P.S. - I'm assuming there's an agreement with our vendor and not with our library consortia directly.

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