[WEB4LIB] Re: Book Jacket Images for Library Web Pages

[Glenn Heiserman]

Libraries might want to review the services provided by
http://www.syndetics.com 

Glenn Heiserman,
	Reference Librarian
Mt. Hood Community College
26000 SE Stark St.
Gresham,OR 97030
503-491-7693

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Nancy Bohm [SMTP:plum at ulink.net]
> Sent:	Friday, November 12, 1999 8:59 AM
> To:	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:	[WEB4LIB] Re: Book Jacket Images for Library Web Pages
> 
> So, does this mean that it's rather like driving 80 on the freeway?  Just
> don't get caught?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gary E. Masters
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Sent: 11/12/99 7:33 AM
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Re: Book Jacket Images for Library Web Pages
> 
> At 07:16 AM 11/12/1999 -0800, Barbara Brattin wrote:
> >Just a general warning to the library webmaster community about using 
> >images of book jackets from Amazon.com or publishers' web sites for
> readers 
> >advisory pages. We decided to pursue copyright permissions to use these
> 
> >images on our "Book of the Month" section we are designing for our new
> web 
> >site. In a scathing reply, both on paper and via telephone, Simon and 
> >Schuster denied us permission. I had initially contacted Amazon.com for
> 
> >permission to use the images from their site. They informed me that
> they 
> >have a full-time staff that secures these individual permissions. The
> same 
> >permission was denied to me by S&S because, simply stated, libraries do
> not 
> >sell books. When I mentioned that we do have influence over people's 
> >choices I was ridiculed.
> >I never expected to be denied permission. I expected the publishing
> world 
> >to be grateful that we would promote their products. After much 
> >negotiation, S&S is going to make "an exception" for this library and 
> >consider permission for individual titles. In other words, I will have
> to 
> >cite title by title which books I will be highlighting and the dates
> the 
> >images will appear on my page. S&S will consider these requests on a
> case 
> >by case basis. By the way, this applies to anything in print as well,
> so 
> >when we promote a book discussion and want to create posters that show
> the 
> >book jacket, we need to have permission.
> >I know that many libraries freely use these images already on their web
> 
> >pages, and when questioned about copyright infringement, laugh it off.
> Be 
> >careful.
> >For those of you who have gone through this painful permissions seeking
> 
> >process, I'd like to hear about your experiences. Does fair use come
> into 
> >play here? We aren't selling anything- why can't we use the images?
> >We are in the process of migrating to a web catalog written in HTML. It
> was 
> >my dream to add book jacket images to jazz up the copies availablity
> pages. 
> >Needless to say, I'm frustrated, and after talking with Simon and
> Schuster, 
> >I'm insulted.
> >
> >
> 
> Barbara:
> 
> It seems that the lawyers got hold of your request.  Alas.
> Perhaps there is a good reason for their reaction, but I don't see it.
> We
> have a new scanner in Acquisitions and would like to do the same for our
> web page.  But with a limited staff and a lot to do, why bother?  I
> guess
> saying "no good deed goes unpunished" is a real world conclusion.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 
> Gary Masters
> Gary E. Masters
> Automated Services Librarian 
> (956) 326-2137 (office)
> (956)326-2399 (fax)