Purpose

Proposal to adopt a new approach to managing digital assets relating to the museum collections and their availability for wider use.

Decision

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council approve:-

(1) the adoption of an ‘Open Access Strategy’ in relation to digital copies of public domain works and other materials which are out-of-copyright (see Appendix 1);

(2) authority being delegated to the Museums Manager (or subsequent equivalent post) and the Portfolio Holder for Culture and City Centre Strategy (or subsequent equivalent post) to determine the digitised public domain works and other out-of copyright materials to be published online in accordance with the Open Access Strategy;

(3) the Museums Manager (or subsequent equivalent post) reporting on the progress of the Open Access Strategy on a quarterly basis to the Director for Culture, Leisure, Tourism and Communications (or subsequent equivalent post) and Portfolio Holder for Culture and City Centre Strategy (or subsequent equivalent post);

(4) allowing the free reuse of digitised public domain collections up to 300 dpi when printed at A5 (‘medium resolution’), as detailed in the fees and charges schedule and retaining the high resolution versions for commercialisation and restricting reuse through contracts; and

(5) the adoption of the fees and charges schedule attached to the report to be reviewed on an annual basis.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.