Free and Open Use of Online Public Domain Reproductions, Metadata, and Digitization Requests - General Information

This Policy governs free and open use of digital reproductions and accompanying metadata of public domain works that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library makes available online (the “Policy”).[1]  This Policy is subject to the following explanations and limitations:

1. Statement about materials in the public domain. The Library does not claim to hold copyright in public domain materials that it digitally reproduces and makes openly available online. Researchers may make free and open use of Library-digitized public domain materials and accompanying metadata.  This Policy does not apply to items that are not in the public domain, including items owned by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, to works where the copyright has been transferred to the University of Illinois Foundation, or to works that remain under copyright either in the U.S. or abroad.
2. Attribution.  Researchers are requested to attribute use of reproductions subject to this Policy as follows, or in accordance with discipline-specific standards:
   1. [Identification of the item], [Name of collection], [Call number of collection], [Name of the University of Illinois Library, e.g., The Rare Book & Manuscript Library], University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
   2. For University Archives materials:  [Identification of the item], [Name of the record series], [Record Series number], [Box number], [Folder title] [University Archives, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign].
   3. For IDEALS materials:  please include the handle identifier in the attribution.
3. No Charge.  The Library will not charge a fee for using reproductions of public domain works, or any accompanying metadata, that it chooses to make available for download online—including as to any such images that are uploaded in high-resolution or of publication quality. However, the Library reserves all rights to consider, and to charge fees to fulfill, requests for new digitization or the provision of high-resolution digital files that are not yet openly available online, or assistance with research using the University Archives.  See the Reproduction & Research Services Fee Schedule regarding reproduction costs, and the Guidelines for Reproduction Services for Library Materials for further details on the library’s practices for assessing any charges.
4. Exceptions.  While reproductions and metadata subject to this Policy may lack U.S. copyright protection, this does not mean that other federal or state laws or contractual agreements do not apply to their use and distribution. It is the researcher’s responsibility to assess permissible uses under all other laws and conditions including privacy and publicity rights, and contractual restrictions.
5. Disclaimers.  Use of reproductions or metadata subject to this Policy shall be at the researcher’s sole risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Library disclaims all warranties of any kind (express, implied, or otherwise), including but not limited to any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular use, non-infringement, and/or as to the accuracy or completeness of content or related information, in connection with these digital reproductions.  Neither the Library nor the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, or any of their employees or agents, shall be responsible or liable for any damage that may occur due to researchers’ use of any material subject to this Policy.

[1] For works that are not in the public domain or have not previously been digitally reproduced, please make a request for digital access for items from: