Publication & Reproduction Policy
A central mission of Columbia University Libraries is to make its collections available in support of research and scholarship by members of the Columbia University community and others. In order to support research and scholarship, the Libraries seek to reduce or eliminate restrictions for the research and educational uses of library collections, including the reproduction and publication of materials found in the collections. However, Columbia University Libraries and users of the Libraries must respect copyrights and other legal rights held by other parties that may affect the use of materials in the collections. Therefore, the Libraries provide services on the following terms for purposes of supporting teaching, research, and other scholarship. This statement applies only if the use of materials is principally for research and scholarship. Uses that are principally for commercial purposes may be subject to separate agreement between the user and the specific Columbia Library holding the materials of interest.
Reproduction by Users
Users are responsible for reproductions and other uses that they may make of materials from the Libraries collections.
Reproduction by Librarians and Staff
The Libraries offer various reprographic services upon request. Library staff have the discretion to make or not make the copies, and will do so only in a manner consistent with copyright law and any other obligations, and consistent with the conservation and managerial practices of the Libraries. Individual libraries at Columbia may set fees and terms for such services.
Reproduction Fees
A primary objective of any research library is to make its resources as widely available as possible. Reproductions are one way that the Libraries seek to accomplish that goal, by digitizing or otherwise copying as many materials as possible, including through sustained projects. Time and resources are, however, limited, and the Libraries hold many millions of items. Patrons often seek copies of materials that the Libraries have not yet addressed, for reasons ranging from casual reference to publication. The Libraries are happy to provide an on-demand copying service to assist those patrons. The Libraries subsidize the cost of patron reproductions, but does ask that patrons help to defray part of the cost, which in turn helps to sustain the digital library program.
When the Libraries digitize any item, no matter the reason, it is in the best interest of the item to do it once and do it well. Subjecting fragile, sometimes unique, materials to the repeated handling associated with scanning risks damage to the materials. Therefore, the Libraries capture high-resolution, archival quality images and place them in the digital archive for long-term preservation to assure that they are available to future users.
Each patron pays for a high-resolution copy of an item that Columbia owns and preserves. The Libraries may subsequently upload a lower resolution version of the file to its own website or to other sites, such as Internet Archive, for free public access. Patron copy requests thus are helping to build the digital corpus that is shared among researchers internationally.
General Position
In order to reduce barriers to the dissemination of research conducted in its collections, the Libraries will ordinarily not set conditions on publication of materials from Library collections in connection with scholarship. The Libraries do not hold the copyright to most materials in the collections, and will neither grant nor deny copyright permission regarding such materials.
Columbia University Holds the Copyright
If Columbia University or any affiliated party holds the copyright or other legal rights in materials, the appropriate Columbia office may set standards and terms for the use of such materials.
Materials or Services are Subject to Contract or Other Obligation
Some materials in the Libraries collections are subject to contractual obligations or other restrictions on use. Users are responsible for inquiring about such conditions and using materials in an appropriate manner.
Reproduction and publication of materials found in the Columbia University Libraries’ collections principally for commercial or other uses beyond research and scholarly purposes is subject to separate agreement between the user and the specific Columbia library holding the materials of interest.
Reproduction and publication of large quantities of materials found in the Columbia University Libraries’ collections may be subject to separate agreement between the user and the specific Columbia library holding the materials of interest.
Columbia University Libraries ask all researchers who use its collections to cite accurately and to acknowledge and give appropriate credit to the specific Library for supporting their research.
Copyright information relevant to education, research, and scholarship
Users should seek independent advice on all legal matters.