Getting permission to publish our materials depends on their copyright status and the intended use. You do not need permission for fair use or public domain materials. See more information below, or contact us with any questions.
Copyright
Any materials that DC Public Library owns the copyright to can be used. Please add this line when you use our materials: "Courtesy DC Public Library, The People's Archive from [Collection Name]".
You do not need to ask for permission to use materials in the public domain. You do not need to ask for permission to use materials if they are for educational or personal use; also called fair use. For more on fair use, see this guide made by the U.S. Copyright Office.
For other uses, you may need to ask for permission from the copyright holder or rights granter. Please reach out to us if you have questions on who to contact.
The library is not responsible for determining copyright status or securing copyright permission, but we are here to help and will share any information we have. Possession of a copy of an image, audio, or video does not constitute permission to use it.
Learn more about copyright from the Library of Congress.
Fair Use
You do not need to receive permission from a copyright holder if you are using materials for research, teaching, reporting, government use, business reports, or personal display. The amount of a work being used may affect whether it will fall under fair use.
Learn more about fair use from the U.S. Copyright Office.
Public Domain
Items are in public domain if the copyright has expired, often 95 years after a work is created. A creator can also forfeit their right to copyright, in which case the work goes directly into the public domain.
High Resolution Scans
Order a high resolution scan by filling out and e-mailing our permission form.
If the file is already scanned, the reproduction fee will be waived. You can see previously scanned material in Dig DC, our repository for digitized archival materials.
To publish, display, or broadcast materials from The People's Archive you already have, please fill out the appropriate permission form. Usage fees may apply.
Low Resolution Scans and Copies
Customers are encouraged to use personal cameras during visits to the archive. Staff will also scan or copy up to 20 pages of our materials for free. Files will be e-mailed as PDFs, or available for pick up.
Selected digitized materials from The People's Archive can be found on Dig DC. Medium or low resolution files can be downloaded.
