[Mdl] Charging models and rights policy for digital images

[Ewing, M Keith]

A Mellon Foundation study written by Simon Tanner, Kings College London,
entitled "Reproduction charging models & rights policy for digital
images in American art museums" was published in 2004; thanks to Scott
Sayre for bringing it to my attention.  The fulltext of the study is
available online at http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/index.html.  The report
should be of interest to current and future participants in Minnesota
Digital Library Coalition projects, including "Minnesota Reflections."
 
>From the Executive Summary:
This study explores the cost and policy models adapted by US arts
museums in arriving at pricing structures for delivering imaging and
rights services. It examines the new market realities and opportunities
cultural institutions face due to the transition to digital collections.


One hundred US art museums were surveyed and in-depth interviews were
carried out with 20 museums.

Amongst the most significant results of the study are:

*	Museums do not carry out image creation or rights and
reproduction activity because of its profitability. (see section 6.1
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c06.html#6.1> ) 
*	The primary driving factors for providing these services are 

	*	to serve the public and educational use 
	*	to promote the museum and its collections 
	*	to serve publishers and commercial picture use (see 4.5
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c04.html#4.5> ) 

*	5% of those interviewed do less than 500 transactions a year.
(see 5.2.2 <http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c05.html#5.2.2> )

*	56% of those interviewed received less than $50,000 a year from
rights transactions. (see 5.4.1
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c05.html#5.4.1> ) 
*	99% of those surveyed charge less for educational use than
commercial use. (see 4.6
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c04.html#4.6> ) 
*	The largest revenue earners were those museums where money was
assigned directly back to the service department to offset or recouped
against costs. (see 6.3
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c06.html#6.3> ) 
*	The disconnect between the imaging and rights services and the
museum's core audience means they do not receive the credit they deserve
for enabling the wide dissemination, retailing and publication of the
collection. (see 5.2.5-6
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c05.html#5.2.5> ) 
*	The lack of business planning and clear cost accounting for the
actual cost of service provision is undermining museum efforts. (see 6.4
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c06.html#6.4> ) 
*	Most museums are setting pricing on the perceived market rate
rather than with reference to the cost of actual service provision. (see
6.5 <http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c06.html#6.5> ) 
*	There is a demonstrable commitment gap towards the rights
function in some museums. (see 6.7
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c06.html#6.7> ) 

The recommendations from this study are:

*	
	Museums use this report as a means to review their priorities in
providing imaging and rights services. It would ensure that the whole
museum has a clear understanding of the purpose of these services and
the way they link to the museum's mission. (see 7.1
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c07.html#7.1> ) 
*	
	The rights service function should be centralized. Doing this
will increase revenue and reduce the litigation exposure for the museum.
(see 7.2 <http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c07.html#7.2> ) 
*	
	The rights function is recommended to be given a full-time
position that is considered as a professional activity in its own right
and not an adjunct to any other function. (see 7.3
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c07.html#7.3> ) 
*	
	Wherever possible revenue should be assigned back to the
department that was responsible for making the revenue possible for the
museum. (see 7.4
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c07.html#7.4> ) 
*	Museums should consider establishing prices with reference to
the actual cost of service provision using this reports suggested
pricing model. (see 7.5
<http://kcl.ac.uk/kdcs/USart/content/report/c07.html#7.5> ) 

 
Keith Ewing
Learning Resources & Technology Services
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498
 
t: 320.308.4824
f: 320.308.5623
e: kewing at stcloudstate.edu <mailto:kewing at stcloudstate.edu> 
h: http://web.stcloudstate.edu/kewing
<http://web.stcloudstate.edu/kewing> 

"Librarians have too long focused on the user in the life of the
library. We need instead to focus on the library in the life of the
user." --Douglas Zweizig

 
 
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