User:Bdcousineau/sandbox2

Content trafficking Content trafficking is the trade in public domain works by the host cultural heritage institution as a revenue source. Access to use and re-use of the public domain works is restricted by rules and/or licensing and is accompanied by a monetary exchange. Content trafficking can be evident in many forms: gift products, reproductions, commercial and non-commercial use and licensing fees, and public paywalls. The host institution controls the use/re-use and the levels of income from extracted "their" public domain works.

Overview
Despite clear evidence that the costs of creating gift products, reproductions, and the like are not recovered in the ensuing sales many cultural heritage institutions remain invested in this model. Anecdotally, this is often referred to as the “coffee mug” problem. Reproductions of public domain works appear on coffee mugs, etc. in the gift shops of cultural heritage institutions. Institutions report that this income subsidizes other programs, and even employment

A study released in 2009 by the Powerhouse Museum suggests that this may not be the case; the Powerhouse Museum found that museum visitorship increased after a partnership with Flickr was developed, thus increasing the institution’s revenue.

Historically, cultural heritage institution's have cited control over the quality of the images as the primary reason for content trafficking. In 2013, the Rijksmuseum cited inferior copies in proliferation on the internet as one reason for their decision to release images back into the public domain.

Crediting the host institution and promoting its collections is cited as another reason for a cultural heritage institution to control the use of a public domain work.

Recent changes
museums splitting:some free access, some limits accepted levels now are free for personal, educational some scholarly, and commercial fewer than 5k

Timeline and Revolution
By early 2000, large cultural heritage institutions began to investigate alternatives. The creation of freely accessible high quality digital reproductions became more widespread as better digital imaging technology was developed. Personal devices and the growth of the World Wide Web changed the relationship of the visitor to the cultural heritage institution’s holdings.

By 2011, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Walters Art Museum and several galleries in the Yale University system released public domain images in high-res digital versions for any type of re-use.cite:Tyler Green

On March 16, 2012, the National Gallery of Art followed suit with the release of 20,000 high-res images for any type of use, without restriction, including non-commercial or commercial.

In May, 2013, the Rijksmusuem released 125k images back into free public usage at no cost to the downloader. NYT

The Getty Museum followed with a release of 5K images in August, 2013. IRIS

Other institutions that have openly released their PD materials for use and re-use by anyone include:
 * Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University
 * Calisphere (the online repository for California state collections including the California State Library and University of California system libraries, including the Bancroft)
 * Victoria & Albert Museum

References and Links

 * Allen, Nancy. (2009). “Art Museum Images in Scholarly Publishing”
 * Bray, Paula. (2009). Licensing and the Future for Collections”
 * Cuno, James. (2013) “Open Content, An Idea Whose Time Has Come”
 * Green, Tyler (2013). “The Copyright Revolution at US Art Museums”
 * Green, Tyler (2013). “The List: Art museums and the public domain”
 * Jongma, Lizzy (2013) “Wikimedia UK's GLAM-Wiki 2013 conference (keynote)”
 * Kelly, Kristin (2013). “Images of Works of Art in Museum Collections: The Experience of Open Access: A Study of 11 Museums”
 * Price, Gary. (2012) “National Gallery of Art (U.S.) Launches NGA Images Database and Open Access Policy”
 * Siegal, Nina. (2013) “Masterworks for One and All”
 * Tanner, Simon (2004). “Reproduction Charging Models & Rights Policy for Digital Images in American Art Museums: A Mellon Foundation Study”