Access and Use
Rights Restrictions
This collection includes original and copy photographs, artwork, and prints created prior to 1969. They were gathered from many sources including wire services, commercial photo studios, publicity photo distributors, and amateur photographers, and may be restricted by copyright. Some photos are not identified with the name of their creator or their source. Privacy and publicity rights may apply.
Reproduction (i.e., photocopying, hand-held camera copying, photoduplication, and other forms of copying allowed by "fair use"): Permitted; subject to P&P policy on copying. This policy requires the use of microfilm in place of the originals.
Publication and other forms of distribution: May be restricted.
Wire service, professional photographer, studio, publicity, or other photographs and original artwork from commercial sources may be restricted by copyright and patrons are advised to check for copyright prior to publication or other forms of distribution. The commercial status of these images can be recognized by the appearance of the name of a photographer or studio on the image, e.g., Ernest Withers, Morgan & Marvin Smith, Addison Scurlock. More information on specific wire services is available in the Restrictions Notebook under: Associated Press, Black Star, United Press International. As the Prints and Photographs Division learns of photographers' current addresses, its adds them, under the name of the photographer, to the Restrictions Notebook.
Images by unidentified creators and images from unidentified sources are problematic because of the lack of information. Patrons who wish to show that a reasonable effort was made to determine copyright status should request a copyright search and retain any reply for their records.
U.S. Government-issued photographs are considered to be in the public domain.
Original artwork and prints may be restricted by copyright. Rights for published works created less than 75 years ago or unpublished works created within the last 100 years may be held by the creator, creator's heirs, or the publisher.
Access Restrictions
Permitted; subject to Prints and Photographs Division policy on serving originals. Researchers may view the collection on microfilm in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room.
Requesting Materials
For information about service in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room, including obtaining copies, see "Information for Researchers."
Requests to obtain copies must include:
- The call number of the original item (found in the right-hand column of the Contents List in the finding aid and the lower right corner of the microfilm frame)
- Any existing copy negative or original negative numbers appearing on the microfilm or in records in the Library's automated catalog
- A brief description of the item for verification purposes
Requests to obtain copies of microfilm must include:
- Specify the collection's microform shelflist number (Microfilm 95/4779 P&P) and the particular reel number(s) you wish to order.
- Indicate whether you wish the images on the microfilm to appear as positive or negative images. (Reels may be purchased in either form.)