[Web4lib] Re: What are the copyright guidelines for book jackets on web

[Stewart Baker]

Unless things have changed since the late 90s, this seems to be a sticky
subject.

I found a few old posts in the web4lib archive (1999) which mentioned that
the cover art for book covers (or the design work) is the work of individual
artists, and that reproduction rights "sometimes reside with the designer,
sometimes with the publisher."

see http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/web4lib/1999-November/029260.htmland
http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/web4lib/1999-November/029258.html

I asked a friend of mine who works in publishing, and she had this to say
when I asked if this sort of activity violated copyright:
"it doesn't at allit's marketing
you're not selling the image
you're ok"

When I suggested that some publishers might get upset by the reproduction
aspect, she said that was ridiculous and that most would "Kiss your feet"
for promoting their books.

But I (personally) think the bottom line, as always with copyright issues,
is to ask the publisher first if you're not absolutely sure about it.
Hopefully you will get a less "scathing" response than the one in the posts
linked above.

-- 
Stewart Baker
Web Services Librarian
CSU Dominguez Hills
sbaker at csudh.edu

From: "Sharon Logan" <slogan at henrico.lib.va.us>
> To: <web4lib at webjunction.org>
> Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:37:35 -0400
> Subject: [Web4lib] What are the copyright guidelines for book jackets on
> web
> The latest information I have on using book jackets for our library
> system is that we have to scan the jacket ourselves unless we have
> direct permissions from the publisher to use it.  We are currently in
> the process of redesigning our website and would like to create links to
> our catalog from a book jacket for our book discussion page.  We
> certainly don't want to have to contact the publisher every time we do
> this.  Is there a global rule about this somewhere?  My research hasn't
> resulted in much yet.
>
>
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
> Sharon
>
>