[Genealib] camera use policies

[Sutton, Linda]

  Our library is part of our county's courthouse complex and as
  such all visitor's camera's and camera phones are banned from the
  building (exceptions are the news camera's) any one else needing
  to take pictures have to have prior approval and are escorted
  around by a deputy.
   
  Not sure what we would do if we start getting patrons that really
  want to use a camera rather than photocopying the item. We only
  have a couple of books that are too fragle to photocopy and none
  of our collection is primary sources. We do have access to a
  camera and a scanner so we might come up with a work around if
  needed.
   
  Linda

Linda Sutton
Oakland County Research Library
1200 N Telegraph
Dept. 453
Pontiac  MI  48341-0453

suttonl at oakgov.com


  ---- Original message ----

    Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 16:31:01 -0500
    From: "Susan Scouras" <Susan.Scouras at wvculture.org>
    Subject: [Genealib] camera use policies
    To: <genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu>

    After dealing with
    several irate patrons recently, we are reviewing our camera use
    policy, which is
    actually a total ban.  I searched half a dozen major university
    library and
    historical society library sites and discovered that all but
    one of them allowed
    patrons to use cameras now.  All required patrons to sign
    a"personal usage
    only" statement with a copyright disclaimer, most had
    statements that patrons
    could not move furniture or stand on chairs (our chairs are all
    being
    re-upholstered as I write), several specified that staff had to
    examine each item in question and determine whether it could be
    photograhed, etc., etc.  I cringed at the thought of having to
    burden our
    small staff with that much more "stuff" to do.  While an
    outright ban makes
    our lives easier, digital cameras and small scanners are not
    going to go away,
    and patrons will want to use them, not only to save copy costs,
    but to obtain
    better images.  (Many are taking the photocopies home and
    scanning them
    into their computer files anyway.)  I liked the Houghton
    Library (Harvard)
    policy of requiring a library "flag" to be included in each
    camera
    shot.
     
    I am interested in
    hearing comments and/or receiving copies of camera use policies
    from libraries
    with true archival collections that have primary resource
    materials, including
    hand drawn maps, manuscripts, etc.  Unless an interest is
    expressed from
    the list, please reply directly to me at
    susan.scouras at wvculture.org. 
     
    Thanks,
     
    Susan Scouras
    Librarian
    WV Archives and History
    Library
    The Cultural Center
    1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
    Charleston, WV 
    25305-0300
    (304) 558-0230, Ext. 742
     
     
    _____________________________________
    >genealib mailing list
    >genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
    >http://mailman.acomp.usf.edu/mailman/listinfo/genealib
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.acomp.usf.edu/pipermail/genealib/attachments/20090107/e0ee2c4f/attachment.html