How can risks be minimised for the reproduction of material if the rights holders cannot be found?
• Tracing rights holders can be very time-consuming and even mean working across jurisdictions. It might be worthwhile balancing the perceived efforts in tracing the rights holders against the benefits in terms of enhanced public access or money that is generated; • Document all enquiries and keep lists on digital rights management (DRM) systems; • Make a plan and prioritise the most important works needed to be reproduced. Balance the risks, such as the benefits of income generation versus public access. NB: 95% of income from Corbis and Getty comes from contemporary works still in copyright – not historic images! • Make a contingency plan in case rights holders come forward, such as putting money aside; • Use copyright guides to establish the rights that you can use as well template agreements for the licensing out of rights (For example, model agreements can be found at the back of “A Guide to Copyright for Museums and Galleries” and “Copyright for Archivists”); • Keep records to tr
