Comments on: Can I use Images from Te Papa’s Collection Online?

By: Victoria Leachman

Victoria Leachman — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:15:45 +0000

Thanks for your comment, nothappy. The group of images that Te Papa has made available for non-commercial re-use in Collections Online are low resolution images that can easily be copied by the public without further investment of Te Papa staff time.

If low resolution images are not of an adequate size for your project then high resolution images are available via Te Papa’s Picture Library in return for a fee. This fee covers the cost of staff retrieving high resolution files (or in some cases re-scanning) and administering the requests which requires 1.6 full time equivalent staff.

Te Papa Picture Library is not a profit-making business but it needs to recover costs of running this service. This service is not one of Te Papa’s core functions. Funding from the NZ Government covers around 50% of Te Papa’s operating costs and the Picture Library fees contribute directly to keeping the image service going.

The Picture Library regularly surveys other picture libraries in other cultural and educational institutions nationally and internationally to ensure the Picture Library’s fees are in line with similar operations. Te Papa is aware of some institutions, both in New Zealand and internationally, are making high resolution images available for download for free. Te Papa is not pursuing this model at present.

By: longwhitekid

longwhitekid — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:57:56 +0000

I can totally understand that some people have no clue and could ruin the integrity of an image. It’s fair that you can’t let everyone do as they please because we know where that leads.

By: Victoria Leachman

Victoria Leachman — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:09:42 +0000

Hi longwhitekid. Cropping can change the integrity of an object or an artwork. The CC-BY-NC-ND licence is the best fit with Te Papa’s image licensing practice. While we do not encourage cropping and try to avoid it ourselves, if you do need to crop Te Papa’s images you have the option of applying for a copyright licence via the Te Papa Picture Library (fees apply). Granting permission to crop will not be possible for all of our images but is considered on a case-by-case basis by Te Papa Picture Library.

By: longwhitekid

longwhitekid — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:51:07 +0000

In many instances they would need to be cropped for use in various layouts. It seems a bit inflexible to say point blank it can’t be done.

By: Victoria Leachman

Victoria Leachman — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:13:13 +0000

Hi Aaron. You’re not being difficult! You certainly can layout as many CC BY-NC-ND works in a panel arrangement as you like as long as the works are reproduced in full, credited correctly and your use is non commercial. However creating a “mosaic picture” as you describe normally involves recolouring individual images. This is not permitted under the No Derivatives part of this licence as recolouring creates a derivative work. Check out the Creative Commons Kiwi video on YouTube for a great explanation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeTlXtEOplA

By: Aaron Erl Compton

Aaron Erl Compton — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:06:36 +0000

Hi Victoria- just because I know you love curly questions: what if I used many CC BY-NC-ND pictures to make a mosaic picture – like the ones in the Mixing Room – that from a distance is a picture of something else? Would that be a derivative work? They wouldn’t be cropped or altered, just layed out in a creative way. I’m not trying to be difficult–I really want to know!

By: Victoria Leachman

Victoria Leachman — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:14:16 +0000

Thanks for all the nice comments everyone! I hope you enjoy using the images.

By: about snakes

about snakes — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:15:38 +0000

very professional looking images! this will defensively benefit a lot of people
Thank you tepapa

By: Robin and Jenny Benton

Robin and Jenny Benton — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:57:40 +0000

Thanks for allowing some of your images to be used in personal blogs. As locals, we often come to Te Papa.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:51:55 +0000

Thanks for making these images more accessible. I know copyright is important but also feel that things in the national collection, on one level, belong to all of us. It’s great to explore the images on Te Papa’s site, but to then be able to add them to a personal blog post and discuss specific aspects is a real boon. Thanks!