Open Forum

Hello, MJH is reviewing it's various photo policies - for visitors, researchers, exhibition loans - in particular usage in social media. Has anyone been through this process? Would love to hear how your institution approached this task. Thanks, Alice ------------------------------------------- Alice Rubin Senior Manager - Digital Media Museum of Jewish Heritage New York NY -------------------------------------------

Hi Alice,

The IMA has an extensive photo policy outlined on our website (http://www.imamuseum.org/about/photography-policies). We have also been working extensively over the last few years with lenders and copyright holders to allow visitor photography in special exhibitions - mixed results so far to always getting that permission, but when it is possible, we actively encourage visitors to share their images on social media. 

At the AAM Annual Meeting earlier this year, I was part of a panel on this subject (Do or Don't Shoot! Museums and Visitor Photography) with Cherie Chen from the Getty Museum and Ryan French from the Walker Art Center. I know any of us would be happy to share information from the session as well as answer any questions you might have on the subject.

Good luck!
Anne

-------------------------------------------
Anne Young
Manager of Rights and Reproductions
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis IN
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 10-03-2014 09:47 AM
From: Alice Rubin
Subject: Photo Policies

Hello,

MJH is reviewing it's various photo policies - for visitors, researchers, exhibition loans - in particular usage in social media. Has anyone been through this process? Would love to hear how your institution approached this task.

Thanks,
Alice

-------------------------------------------
Alice Rubin
Senior Manager - Digital Media
Museum of Jewish Heritage
New York NY
-------------------------------------------

Anne,

Thanks for the link. Looking at other museums' policies has been very helpful. I do think there's a gap in the museum field's understanding of social media & photo rights in regards to history museums. What holds true for a piece of art, doesn't necessarily work for an artifact. Much of our collection derives from donors' personal items. There is no public domain/copyright, only the private wishes of the donor/lender as expressed in the contract. Many of these donors have now passed and we don't have the staff to renegotiate contracts with their representatives. How the artifact subject matter (primarily Holocaust related items) is used by the public is of additional concern to stakeholders. The United State Holocaust Memorial Museum has just revised their photo policy. This is very exciting news for history museums. I'll be following their efforts closely. 

Alice
-------------------------------------------
Alice Rubin
Senior Manager - Digital Media
Museum of Jewish Heritage
New York NY
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 10-06-2014 01:40 PM
From: Anne Young
Subject: Photo Policies

Hi Alice,

The IMA has an extensive photo policy outlined on our website (http://www.imamuseum.org/about/photography-policies). We have also been working extensively over the last few years with lenders and copyright holders to allow visitor photography in special exhibitions - mixed results so far to always getting that permission, but when it is possible, we actively encourage visitors to share their images on social media. 

At the AAM Annual Meeting earlier this year, I was part of a panel on this subject (Do or Don't Shoot! Museums and Visitor Photography) with Cherie Chen from the Getty Museum and Ryan French from the Walker Art Center. I know any of us would be happy to share information from the session as well as answer any questions you might have on the subject.

Good luck!
Anne

-------------------------------------------
Anne Young
Manager of Rights and Reproductions
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis IN
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 10-03-2014 09:47 AM
From: Alice Rubin
Subject: Photo Policies

Hello,

MJH is reviewing it's various photo policies - for visitors, researchers, exhibition loans - in particular usage in social media. Has anyone been through this process? Would love to hear how your institution approached this task.

Thanks,
Alice

-------------------------------------------
Alice Rubin
Senior Manager - Digital Media
Museum of Jewish Heritage
New York NY
-------------------------------------------

Oh! Great policy to keep an eye on - thanks for sharing. Artifacts and historic collections definitely bring up other issues around rights of privacy and publicity as well as maintaining a focus on donor intent. Good luck balancing all of those elements!

-------------------------------------------
Anne Young
Manager of Rights and Reproductions
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis IN
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 10-07-2014 11:03 AM
From: Alice Rubin
Subject: Photo Policies

Anne,

Thanks for the link. Looking at other museums' policies has been very helpful. I do think there's a gap in the museum field's understanding of social media & photo rights in regards to history museums. What holds true for a piece of art, doesn't necessarily work for an artifact. Much of our collection derives from donors' personal items. There is no public domain/copyright, only the private wishes of the donor/lender as expressed in the contract. Many of these donors have now passed and we don't have the staff to renegotiate contracts with their representatives. How the artifact subject matter (primarily Holocaust related items) is used by the public is of additional concern to stakeholders. The United State Holocaust Memorial Museum has just revised their photo policy. This is very exciting news for history museums. I'll be following their efforts closely. 

Alice
-------------------------------------------
Alice Rubin
Senior Manager - Digital Media
Museum of Jewish Heritage
New York NY
-------------------------------------------