Permissions & Reproductions
Requesting Digital Reproductions
Ordering reproductions of photographs, posters, documents, and other items from the YIVO Archives and Library:
1. Download the YIVO reproductions price list/access form.
2. Fill out and email the form to photofilm@yivo.org. Include as much information (e.g., catalog numbers, screenshots, book page numbers) as possible with your order, attaching additional pages as necessary. Please allow 1-2 weeks for a response.
3. You will be sent an invoice for your order and payment must be received before it is processed.
Ordering audio materials: Please contact the YIVO Sound Archives at soundarchives@yivo.org for more information.
Ordering copies of film and video materials: Please contact the Photo and Film Archive at photofilm@yivo.org for more information.
Rights and Permissions of Use
YIVO strives to support scholarship and other endeavors related to Eastern European Jewish history and Yiddish studies. We make our collections as accessible as possible to the general public. Permission to reproduce documents, photographs, films, and sound recordings, in whole or in part, is granted on a case-by-case basis depending on the condition of the original and on the provisions of United States copyright law and other laws governing the reproduction of documents.
If you are requesting digitized material for publication, please note the following general reproduction guidelines. For inquiries about individual requests, we urge you to reach out to photofilm@yivo.org.
For images or documents used in publications or exhibitions or online, a credit line to the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is required.
COPYRIGHT PERMISSIONS
YIVO does not own copyright on most of its materials and thus cannot grant permissions. It is the responsibility of the user to determine if material is copyrighted and pursue permissions through the appropriate venues. YIVO will not be liable should a user fail to secure appropriate reproduction permissions.
CHAIM GRADE COLLECTION
If you are seeking permission to publish any materials written by Chaim Grade contained in the YIVO collections, please contact YIVO’s literary agent, Robin Straus Agency, Inc. at info@robinstrausagency.com.
FAIR USE AND MATERIALS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
To reiterate, it is the responsibility of the user to determine if materials fall under fair use or within the public domain. However, these resources may help determine if materials fall under those categories.
Fair Use
Fair use applies in cases where limited portions of copyrighted material can be reproduced legally. The case that most often applies to YIVO researchers is “commentary and criticism.” For more information, check out this resource.
Public Domain
Materials in the public domain are not subject to copyright. This chart can help you assess whether an item may be in the public domain.
PRIVACY AND PUBLICITY LAWS
Some of the materials in the YIVO Archives contain sensitive personal information. Please note that privacy and publicity laws are separate from copyright laws, and vary by state. If you reproduce material that includes identifying information and likeness, you may need to secure consent from the individual or the individual’s estate, regardless of your rights to reproduce under copyright law.