I had a meeting last week with representatives from Digital Library Services, Special Collections, and Preservation to discuss my ideas about the project and finalize a project plan. It was good to get some new perspectives. For example, as my last post shows I had been sort of tied up in knots over the copyrighted materials in the collection, thinking I should just avoid them. However, I came out of the meeting with a somewhat more relaxed view on this issue.
It was agreed that the effort to digitize the pamphlet collection will likely continue after my initial stint is up, with the goal of eventually publishing most, if not all, of it. Therefore, I was encouraged to go ahead and start seeking copyright permission from major companies represented in the collection. It seems unlikely that any would refuse; it will just be an added detail to take care of.
I was also made aware of a gray area in the copyright world: "orphan works", which are copyrighted works whose owners may be impossible to locate or identify. Many of the pamphlets would meet this description, as they were published by companies no longer in existence. While government legislation on how to deal with orphan works is currently being debated, the bottom line is that these particular pieces may well be fair game for inclusion in the online collection. It's sort of like the philosophical question of a tree falling in a forest - if a copyrighted work is published but the owner isn't around to care anymore, does it make a sound? It's a fine line to walk to avoid breaking the law, while also taking calculated risks when the stakes are low. From what I understand, even in the worst case scenario, the university would simply be asked to remove the images from the website.
The consensus reached at the meeting was that it would be best to start with a sampling of the collection, concentrating on the years 1880 - 1940, with the rest to be added over time after I have laid the groundwork. A few of the oldest ones will need to be prepared for reformatting in the Preservation workshop, but most of the pamphlets are in good shape to be scanned. Speaking of which, I scanned and Photoshopped my first two pamphlets (Wrigley's and Air-O-Mix, of course), and will be learning how to import them to CONTENTdm next week. I'm also working on drafting a written project plan to use as a blueprint in moving forward.
