Boston Public Library
Permissions, Ordering Information, and Fees
Print Department
3rd Floor, McKim Building, Central Library
617.859.2280

Instructions for Obtaining Permission for the Use of Images from the Print Department of the Boston Public Library

The Print Department of the Boston Public Library requires that permission be obtained for any use of images from its collections in any type of commercial, non-profit or personal project. Fees may be charged for certain uses. The charging of fees is based on the Boston Public Library's physical ownership of the images and not on copyright (for more information on copyright, see below). One-time, non-exclusive permission can be obtained from the Print Department upon the submission of a written request for permission as outlined below. Any unauthorized use of Print Department images in any project will be invoiced at double the fee rate, regardless of the commercial status of the use.

Copyright of Images:
The Print Department does not hold copyright over the original images in the collections. Responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright to the original images must be assumed by those wishing to reproduce the images.

Requesting Permission to Use Images:
Permission to use Print Department images can be obtained in writing or by submitting this form to: Susan Glover, Manager of Reference and Information Services, Boston Public Library, Print Department, P.O. Box 286, Boston, MA 02117. All images to be used must be identified and listed in your request and all uses clearly explained. The Print Department will not sign any submitted permission or licensing forms from the requester nor will the wording of the Print Department's standard letter be altered in any way. Permission must be requested for any subsequent use or re-use of the images in any other project. A sample of our standard permission letter can be obtained upon request.

Fees for the Use of Images:
Please refer to the Print Department Usage Fee List to determine if a usage fee is appropriate for the requested use of Print Department images. If a fee is appropriate it must be indicated in your request. If you have any questions, or if the intended use is not covered by the fee list, please contact the appropriate Print Department staff member for clarification. When a request for use is received indicating that a fee is appropriate, the Print Department will have the Boston Public Library's Business Office invoice the requester for the proper amount. Please return your payment to the Business Office in the form of a check or money order, in U.S. Currency, made payable to: Trustees of the Boston Public Library.

Instructions for Ordering Photographic Reproductions from the Print Department of the Boston Public Library:

All questions regarding photographic requests should be made to the Print Department at 617-859-2280

REQUEST LETTER:
In order to obtain photographic reproductions from the Print Department's collections you must write a letter addressed to: Susan Glover, Keeper of Special Collections, Boston Public Library, Print Department, P.O. Box 286, Boston, MA 02117. Because of the volume of mail, please indicate in your letter any staff member who has assisted you. In your letter please include the following information:

1. Describe your organization or business (commercial, educational, profit, non-profit, etc.) and the project for which the reproductions will be used (exhibition, publication, television broadcast, etc.).

2. List the items to be photographed and the type of reproduction you wish to order (8x10 glossy, color transparency, 35mm slide, etc.)

3. Agree to pay the appropriate usage fee (see "Requirements for Use of Print Department Material" form).

4. Agree to give the proper credit line for any item published, displayed, or broadcast: "Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Print Department."

PAYMENT:
The Print Department uses a local commercial photo lab, Boston Photo Imaging, to handle professional reproductions of our collection material. Payments can be made either by check payable to Boston Photo Imaging, or by credit card. All checks should be sent along with your request letter and not directly to Boston Photo. Credit card information (account#, account name, expiration date) can either be included in your request letter or provided directly to Boston Photo. All orders must be paid for in advance. Please Note: If you are a Massachusetts resident or company and you cannot provide a federal tax exempt number, you must add the 5% Mass. Sales Tax to your payment (not including the postage and handling costs).

SHIPPING:
UPS Ground: $5.00 (5 days) Air Mail/Fedex: $20.00
All orders are shipped from Boston Photo Imaging. You may provide a Federal Express or other shipper account number in your request letter in lieu of the shipping fees. You also have the option of picking up your order at Boston Photo at the following address:

Boston Photo Imaging
355 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
617-267-4086

Contact: Carol Smith

FAXING OR E-MAILING YOUR ORDER:
If you are paying by credit card you may fax your order to 617-262-0461, or send it by email to prints@bpl.org

BOSTON PHOTO IMAGING FEES FOR PRINT DEPARTMENT PATRONS:

8x10 Black & White Prints, Glossy or Matte:
Prints are actual photographic (silver gelatin) prints from files scanned at 250dpi.

Up to 8x10 From Original $20.00
  From Existing Digital File $14.50
  From Existing Negative $21.00
  Additional Copies of Same Image: $6.50
     
11x14 From Original $27.45
  From Existing Digital File $13.75
  From Existing Negative $20.25
     
16x20 From Original $45.80
  From Existing Digital File $25.15
  From Existing Negative $31.65
     
20x24 From Original $66.35
  From Existing Digital File $34.35
  From Existing Negative $40.85

Scanning: Note: While there are no restrictions on ordering a Web Scan from a Print Department image, permission to order a scan larger than 1MB must be obtained from the Print Department and may be limited to certain uses.

Web Scan Up to 1MB $22.00
Small Scan Up to 30MB $40.00
Medium Scan Up to 72MB $60.00
Large Scan Over 72MB $150.00
Fee for CDR/Electronic File Transfer $12.00
Fee for Zip Disk   $30.00
Customer can provide their own CD or Zip Disk in lieu of payment

Transparencies:

4x5 Color Transparency $30.00
Transparencies must be returned to the BPL within 3 months of ordering

4x5 Film Negative (B&W or Color): $12.00

35mm Copy slides: $10.00

IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY:
Appointments can be arranged for in-house photography of Print Department material. There are no fees for this service but the Print Department does require that your negatives become the property of the Boston Public Library after you have printed them. Slide work also must be returned to the Print Department after a period of 6 months. You should note that all equipment must be supplied and that there is a maximum illumination of 1000 watts allowed for lighting.

List of Fees for the Use of Images from the Print Department of the Boston Public Library:

Book Publication:
Press Run of 5,000 or less: Usage Fee: $10.00 per image

Press Run of more than 5,000: Usage Fee: $25.00 per image

Book Cover Illustration (see note): Usage Fee: $150.00 per image

Note: If multiple images from more than one source are used in a cover illustration, it may be possible to reduce the fee in proportion to the size of the Print Department image as it appears on the cover. For example, if the image covers roughly half the cover along with an illustration from another source, the fee may be reduced to $75.00.

Magazine Publication:
Article or Editorial Illustration: Usage Fee: $25.00 per image Magazine Cover (see note): Usage Fee: $250.00 per image

Note: Same conditions apply as for book cover illustrations.

Newspaper Publication:
Article Illustration: Usage Fee: $10.00 per image

Full Page Illustration: Usage Fee: $30.00 per image

Print Advertisement (newspaper & magazine):
Half-Page or Smaller: Usage Fee: $200.00 per image

Full-Page: Usage Fee: $500.00 per image

Corporate Publication:
Intemal Publication (internal circulation only): Usage Fee: $20.00 per image

External Publication: Usage Fee: $30.00 per image

Note: Internal publications include training manuals, internal memoranda, employee newsletters, etc.; External include annual reports, company histories, etc.

Commercial Decoration:
Public Spaces (restaurant, corporate lobby, etc.): Usage Fee: $50.00 per image

Private Offices: Usage Fee: $20.00 per image

Personal Use:
Reference: No Fee

Home Display (8x10 or smaller): Usage Fee: $10.00 per image

Home Display (Larger than 8x10): Usage Fee: $20.00 per image

Gift (8x10 or smaller): Usage Fee: $10.00 per image

Gift (Larger than 8x10): Usage Fee: $20.00 per image

CD-ROM:
CD-ROM: Usage Fee: $30.00 per image

Internet/Website:
Less Than One Month: Usage Fee: $10.00 per image

Less Than Six Months: Usage Fee: $25.00 per image

Six Months or More: Usage Fee: $100.00 per image

Miscellaneous Uses:
Pamphlet or Hand-Out Publication: Usage Fee: $20.00 per image

Posters (For Sale): Usage Fee: $500.00 per image

(Promotional): $250.00 per image

Postcards/Less than 500: Usage Fee: $50.00 per image

500-1000: $250.00 per image

1000 Plus: $500.00 per image

Calendars/Less than 500: Usage Fee: $30.00 per image

500-1000: $75.00 per image

1000 Plus: $150.00 per image

Television Broadcast and Home Video Productions:
Network and Cable Broadcast: Usage Fee: $50.00 per image

Local or Public Television Broadcast: Usage Fee: $20.00 per image

Home Video (for sale): Usage Fee: $50.00 per image

Multimedia Productions (see note):
For a Period of 10 Years: Usage Fee: $250.00 per image

For a Period of S Years: Usage Fee: $150.00 per image

Note: Permission for multimedia use allows for a more open-ended agreement for productions that will be released in more than one medium (e.g. broadcast, home video, CD-ROM), so that permission would not have to be obtained for each separate use. Please note that this would not include book publication which would have to be requested separately. It also allows for ancillary uses such as promotion, award presentation, etc. Permission can be given for uses that are anticipated within the specified time period but are not planned at the time of the request. Any subsequent uses developed within the permission period not included in the wording of the permission letter you receive from us would have to be requested separately. The permission period begins with the date indicated on the Print Department's permission letter.

Academic Uses:
There is no fee for academic uses which include: dissertation, thesis, class presentation, publication in scholarly journal, or any academic publication that is not for sale.

Non-Profit Uses:
There is no fee for non-profit use by non-profit organizations. Fees may be reduced for both non-profit use by commercial organizations and for commercial use by non-profit organizations. Organizations wishing for a reduced fee or a waiver of the fee must provide a Federal Tax Exempt Number with their request.

Governmental Organizations:
There is no usage fee for agencies of the Federal, State, or City Governments of the United States or for commercial organizations or individuals doing pro bono work for government agencies.

Additional Information Regarding Use

Volume Fee Reduction:
With a request for the use of more than ten images in a single project, a reduction in fees per image of up to 50% may be granted. This must be agreed upon before the request is submitted. In the case of multimedia productions, more than ten images would have to be used in a single medium. For example, if more than ten images are to be broadcast in a cable television documentary a reduction in fees may be granted, but if six images were broadcast and five different images released on home video, there would be no reduction in fees.

Altering or Cropping of Images:
Any alteration of a Print Department image must be approved before use. If the requester plans to photographically or digitally alter or enhance an image it must be indicated with the image whether published or displayed. This would include cropping of more than 75% of the image area, coloring, digital enhancement or alteration, (including the combining of the image with other images.) A fee of $50 will be charged to the requester for any unauthorized alteration of an image either published or displayed.

Copies of Finished Projects:
The Print Department retains the right to request that a copy of any finished project using Print Department images be provided to the Print Department for confirmation that our images are being used in accordance with the request for use. Voluntary submission of the project is always appreciated.

Contact Information:
If you have any questions about the use procedures, you should address your questions to the staff member who assisted you in obtaining reproductions of Print Department images. We recommend that you provide us with photocopies of the images in question if you submit your questions in writing. The following is the Print Department's contact information:

Address:
Boston Public Library
Print Department
P.O. Box 286
700 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02117

Telephone: 617.859.2280
Fax: 617.262.0461
Email: prints@bpl.org