[Genealib] Alternatives to personal camera use

[Dusty Gres]

To answer those questions you have --
1 & 2. The Library Branch Manager is authorized to make the decision.  If
there is any doubt or question, the System Director is called.  Decision
making rests on age, condition, rarity and whether the item can be easily
photocopied. (Frankly, if I had all the full service options you offer, I
wouldn't let them at all -- it would be use mine or none.)
3. Yes.  Overseeing is absolutely important.  Even the most careful
researcher "forgets" to turn off the flash; "accidentally" folds down the
page; and in the nicest way possible has no problem with asking the person
at the next table to please move over.
4.  We have no designated area -- we don't have enough room. We do have book
cradles and a book weight that we offer for use.
5.  This has been our policy for the last several years. We have had lots of
complaints about the flash issue and the Rare Books issue ( no photocopying,
scanning or photographing at all). However, we are firm on both.
 
Of course, any photography, including the shelves as one person mentioned,
absolutely cannot show any other person in the building, without express
permission of both the library and that person.
 
 

Dusty Gres, Director
Ohoopee Regional Library System
Hdq: Vidalia-Toombs County Library
610 Jackson Street
Vidalia, GA 30474
PH: (912) 537-9283
FAX: (912) 537-3735
EMAIL: gresd at ohoopeelibrary.org
WEB: http://www.ohoopeelibrary.org <http://www.ohoopeelibrary.org/> 
"Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different
speeds.
A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing."
William James
  

 

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From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Susan Scouras
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 11:01 AM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: [Genealib] Alternatives to personal camera use


Thank you to those of you have expressed interest in having a discussion on
the list.  I still need to hear from those of you who are already dealing
with creation and implementation of a personal camera use policy involving
photographing pages of books and documents. Some of my specific concerns:

*	Are certain staff members designated as decision-makers on whether
something can be copied? 

*	If all decisions are made on a case by case basis, what guidelines
are used in decision-making? 

*	Have you found that a staff member needs to physically oversee the
patron while the camera is in use? 

*	Do you allow personal scanner use as well as personal camera use? 

*	Have you set up a defined space as a camera use area? If so, do you
provide a book cradle or other aid, such as something weighted to hold pages
flat? 

*	For those of you who have allowed patron camera use for a year or
so, how has it worked out for you?

I also want to make clear that we offer full services (for fees) to those
who want copies, including digital copies sent by e-mail or stored on a disc
(obtained from us only, not patron supplied).  We have an in-house archival
photographer who can expertly make copies of photographs, maps, etc., by
either standard photography, digital photography or scanner.  We do not
think our charges are high by national or regional comparison, and we charge
lower fees for personal use copies and copies for educational projects and
publications than we do for professional use and/or publication.  We have a
physical limitation on the size of items that can be scanned or photographed
in house, and use a very reliable local firm to make our oversize
photographic and scanned copies.  Fees and copy policies are posted on our
Web site:  http://www.wvculture.org/history/rr.html.  
 
As a state agency, all of our fees and policies are subject to
administrative review and are entered as Procedural Rules following a public
posting and public comment period.  The last time we updated fees and
policies, we put a notice of the proposed new rules and the public comment
period on our home page and I publicized it in our monthly newsletter in
addition to the usual state government legal notices that are posted.
Because we have to follow these procedures, if we are going to change our
policy I only want to do it once, and do it the best way possible.  Help!!
 
Susan Scouras
Librarian
WV Archives and History Library
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV  25305-0300
(304) 558-0230, Ext. 742
 
 
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