Image Rights and Reproduction
Order digital images of objects from Letterform Archive’s collection.
Supporting Radical Access
High-fidelity digitization is an important part of our mission. While there is no substitute for holding a rare book or designer’s sketch in your own hands, our photography brings the Letterform Archive experience to those who can’t visit in person. For a nominal fee, you can order the same true-to-life images we use in our blog, books, and Online Archive.
How to Request Images
Please complete our Rights and Reproduction Request form to inquire about digital reproductions of works in our collection. After completing the form, please email any visual references or copyright documentation to [email protected].
Image Use Fees
Per Order Fee |
Nature of Use |
Per Image Fee |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Category APersonal, research, teaching, or learning uses — not for reproduction
|
$20 | View in Online Archive | free |
| Reference JPG | free | ||
| All other uses | $1 | ||
Category BReproductions of up to 2,000 copies, nonprofit, or open online uses
|
$20 | Interior or Online | $3 |
| Cover or Jacket | $20 | ||
| Unlimited Promo Use | $100 | ||
Category CReproductions of more than 2,000 copies, online with paywall, or other commercial uses
|
$100 | Interior or Online | $35 |
| Cover or Jacket | $100 | ||
| Unlimited Promo Use | $200 |
Reproduction FAQ
- Which image use category do I fit into?
Category A
These are one-time personal reference, research, teaching, and learning uses where the image is not reproduced or shared in enduring public contexts. Examples include unpublished research, academic assignments, lectures, and conference presentations.
- View in Online Archive: no files are delivered, only viewable on the Online Archive
- Reference JPGs: we deliver small reference images that cannot be used in print or other high-resolution contexts
- All other uses: we deliver a large TIFF file
Category B
These are academic or nonprofit uses, including all print runs up to 2,000 copies, and all noncommercial online uses not behind a paywall. Examples include open access online essays, blogs, small press publications, and museum/gallery/archives/library exhibitions.
- Interior or Online: all print interiors and online uses
- Cover or Jacket: all print exteriors
- Unlimited Promo Use: use of the image for one year in any promotional context including print and online. This does not include additional commercial uses.
Category C
These uses include print runs over 2,000 copies, eBooks, commercial products, and online uses behind a paywall. Examples include commercial trade publications, online articles accessed through paid subscription, clothing, and drinkware.
- How much does it cost? How does the fee schedule work?
The cost of each order is determined by two factors: the type of use and the number of files requested. Each order is calculated by a single order fee plus per-image fees.
The fees cover administrative labor, digitization setup along with e-signature, payment collection, and file transfer fees.
- How many images can I request?
We can only accommodate requests up to 35 images due to our ongoing imaging priorities and needs. Please note that requests for more than 10 images may take longer.
- How are objects imaged?
Rather than scanning, we use a very high resolution camera and special lighting techniques to capture maximum fidelity of the physical object. Read more about our digitization process.
- How long will it take to get my images? How will I receive them?
Each request is different, so we can’t guarantee a delivery window without more information. Rush service is available for jobs under 10 images at a surcharge of $20 per image file. Please email [email protected] after submitting the Rights and Reproduction Request form and tell us about your urgency.
Unless otherwise specified, you will receive high-resolution TIFF files via WeTransfer. Files must be downloaded within 30 days of receipt.
Copyright FAQ
- Does Letterform Archive hold the copyright?
Letterform Archive generally does not hold the copyright to the works within its collection. Users are responsible for determining the status before images can be released for any public or commercial purpose.
If an object is in copyright or the copyright status is unknown, please email [email protected] with documentation of copyright clearance for your usage or a fair use determination upon submission of the Rights and Reproduction Request form.
- How do I know if a work is in copyright?
As a courtesy, items in the Online Archive provide an initial assessment of copyright status. Here are the categories:
Copyrighted
The work is known to be in copyright and permission will be required to use the image in any public and/or commercial uses.Copyright Status Unknown
More research is required to determine the copyright status of this object.Public Domain
No known restrictions.It remains the responsibility of the user to determine the status and if their intended use is permitted.
- How do I research copyright?
The copyright holder is often the creator, their heirs, or the institution the work was created for, including the current owner of that institution. For more information, see the guides from the US Copyright Office and University of Michigan Library. For locating specific copyright holders, Writers, Artists, and Their Copyright Holders File and Artist Rights Society are two resources to consult. Or search the US Copyright Office Copyright Public Records System for specific copyrighted works.
In addition, many of the works in our collection were created outside of the United States and may be governed by international copyright laws and treaties such as the Berne Convention.
Due to creation date, lack of renewal and other circumstances, works enter the public domain.
Some users will find that they are able to make a Fair Use or an Orphan Work determination. Read more in the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts. And Artist Rights 101 has more information about what rights creators are entitled to.
We adapted our framework from Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Bowling Green State University Libraries, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Getty Museum, Harvard Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and Smithsonian Institution Archives.
- I hold copyright to materials in the collection. How do I request removal?
We endeavor to properly credit and contextualize all the work we reproduce on our websites, where images are used solely for nonprofit educational purposes. If you have any concerns about our use, we welcome an email.
If you hold the copyright to materials in our collection and would like them removed from our website, please complete the Copyright Takedown Request form.