The Archives has a substantial collection of photographs (both print and digital) of artworks and other visual media, as well as a small collection of films and video recordings. These visual media (collectively hereafter referred to as ‘images’) are available for use for a range of purposes, subject to restrictions. This guide explains how you can use images from the collection. 

Definitions

• Image – still images from photography, or moving images from film/video;
• Ownership – possession of the physical or digital image;
• Copyright – legal right held by the originator (or their assignee) to determine how their work is used;
• User – the researcher or enquirer who asks to reproduce an image.

Ownership and copyright 

The college may own a copy of an image but not the copyright in it. In such cases, the user of an image is responsible for securing the permission of the copyright holder, as well as that of the college as the owner of the image, before proceeding with use.

Images created by the college 

The copyright in images created by the college rests with the college. The college will supply images for research purposes or private study on receipt of a completed copyright declaration.

Permission to reproduce or publish such images must be obtained from the Governing Body of Somerville College, by completing the use of archives application form. All use of images should be credited with the text ‘By permission of the Principal and Fellows of Somerville College, Oxford’. 

Images created by third parties 

Typically, copyright in an image rests with the creator of that image – the photographer, videographer or filmmaker. The college will supply images for research purposes or private study on receipt of a completed copyright declaration.

Permission to reproduce images created by third parties, but owned by the Archives, must be obtained:

• from the Governing Body of Somerville College as owners of the image, by completing the use of archives application form.  All use of images should be credited with the text ‘By permission of the Principal and Fellows of Somerville College, Oxford’

• Where images are still in copyright, permission will also be required from the copyright holder.

It is the responsibility of the user to determine who the copyright holder is and to obtain the necessary permission.  The archivist cannot provide guidance about copyright. In many cases, the college does not know who holds the copyright; where the copyright holder is known, the archivist will provide such information as they are permitted to share. The archivist is unable to act as an intermediary for copyright enquiries or in the seeking of permissions.

Useful sources of information about copyright in relation to images include: DACS, the National Portrait Gallery,  the National Archives Image Library and the WATCH database.

Provision of digital versions of images 

Not all the images within the Archives are digitised. Where they are, medium-quality copies as JPEG files are typically provided for the purposes of private use of images from the archive. Where copies are required for mounting on websites or social media platforms, a lower resolution copy is provided as a JPEG file. We provide very high-quality TIFF files only in support of reproductions for publication. 

Copies of images created by the college and provided for study or research may be watermarked with a statement of college copyright. 

Printed images in the collection which are currently not digitised may be digitised upon request, but this service may incur a charge, dependent on the workload involved. 

Charges

Use of images may incur a fee; these are listed on the use of archives application form.