Access and Use Policies
| Found in Berklee College of Music Photographic Collection by Alma Berk (BCA-003) |
Berklee Archives encourages and supports research, teaching, and scholarship involving the use of materials from our collections. The following policies provide information on access restrictions, reproduction services, permissions, citing our materials, and more.
The Archives is open by appointment to all Berklee community members, scholars, and members of the general public who wish to view our materials. Please review our visitor policies and request an appointment by emailing archives@berklee.edu. Archival collections are non-circulating.
Berklee Archives assumes no responsibility for copyright violations or for any other legal issues (including the release of student information or otherwise restricted information) resulting from the use or publication of archival materials. It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure any necessary permission from the appropriate copyright holder to quote, publish, or reproduce items from Berklee Archives, and to acknowledge in print that the materials are used or published with appropriate permissions.
Restrictions on Access
Conditions and restrictions may apply according to donor stipulations. Some items may not be accessible due to fragility of the material or lack of transfer or playback equipment. Relevant access restrictions can be found in the collection guide for a given collection.
In addition, unless otherwise noted, please note that the following records are closed for a period of years from the date of creation:
- Student records are closed for 75 years or until the death of the record's subject in accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
- Administrative records are closed for a period of 30 years from date of creation, except to the office of origin.
- Official personnel files or records related to faculty or staff personnel matters are closed for 75 years from the date of creation, or until the death of the record’s subject, whichever is longer, except to the office of origin.
Reproduction Requests
Berklee Archives considers reproduction requests on a case-by-case basis. Please allow ample time for staff to process your request. Conditions and restrictions may apply according to donor stipulations.
Reproductions made for users are strictly for the purposes identified as "fair uses" by §107 of the Copyright Act, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. Reproductions intended for publication may require additional forms (see section on Permission to Publish, Exhibit, or Broadcast below).
Reproductions in any format may not be further reproduced, sold, shared, or given to another person, company, or institution without the written permission of Berklee Archives. Permission to examine materials, or to obtain copies, does not imply the right to publish, exhibit, or broadcast them, in whole or in part.
Requests for reproductions should be as specific as possible, as Archives staff cannot undertake individuals' research projects.
Reproduction requests are subject to the following restrictions:
- Materials will not be harmed in the reproduction process;
- Generally, only a small percentage of a collection may be reproduced. Consult the staff for large requests.
To submit a request for reproductions, see Request Forms below.
- Limited remote reproduction services of Berklee Archives collection material are available. Requests from the Berklee community will be prioritized.
- Reproductions will be provided in digital formats and sent via email or cloud service (such as Google Drive). Requests for photocopies, prints, or optical/removable media are granted on a case-by-case basis, dependent on reproduction/shipping costs, and are not guaranteed.
- Personal photographs are permitted for personal research only and cannot be published, in print or online, or used for performance without the written consent of the appropriate copyright holder. See below for more detailed information about publication and performance permissions. Note that some collection materials may not permit photography as stipulated by collection donors.
- Photocopies are available only to onsite visitors.
Using Collection Materials
Permission to examine materials, or to obtain copies, does not imply the right to publish, exhibit, or broadcast them, in whole or in part. Visitors and researchers are solely responsible for determining the copyright status of any materials they may wish to use, making fair use determinations, investigating the owner(s) of the copyright and, where necessary, obtaining permission for the intended use.
If your intended use of Berklee Archives collection items falls within the fair use limitations on copyright specified in the U.S. copyright law (§107, Title 17), you do not need our permission for that intended use. We cannot give advice on or determine for you whether fair use applies to your intended use. We recommend Columbia University Libraries' Fair Use Guide and Checklist to help you make determinations.
Berklee Archives may grant permission to publish only when Berklee is unambiguously the copyright holder. Berklee Archives does not hold copyright for most items in our collections, and we are unable to grant or deny publication permissions for those items; it is the patron's responsibility to obtain permission to publish from the appropriate copyright holder.
For cases that exceed fair use, permission to publish materials for which Berklee manages the copyright must be requested through this form. Approval may require consent from the department of External Affairs, and release forms or licenses may be required.
Please cite materials appropriately.
With the exception of curricular use, which is acceptable under §107, Title 17, Section 110 of United State copyright law, Berklee cannot grant permission to perform from archival material; we do not grant public performance or synchronization licenses. It is the patron's responsibility to obtain permission to perform from the appropriate copyright holder. In cases where material is being used in a classroom or curricular context, it remains the patron’s responsibility to ensure that reproduced archival material is not further reproduced or shared.
Preferred citations are included under the “Summary Information” section in all collection guides. Citation style will vary depending upon the style guide being used, but the following can serve as a basic reference:
For physical collections:
[Identification of the item], in the [Name and identification of the Collection]. [Box #, Folder #]. Berklee Archives, Stan Getz Library, Boston, Massachusetts.
Example: Photograph of Toshiko Akiyoshi, c. 1957, in the Berklee College of Music Photographic Collection by Alma Berk, (1940s - 1980s), BCA-003. Box 1, Album 1. Berklee Archives, Stan Getz Library, Boston, Massachusetts.
For online collections:
[Identification of the item], in the [Name and identification of the Collection]. [URL]. Berklee Archives, Stan Getz Library, Boston, Massachusetts.
Example: Berklee School of Music Course Catalog, 1958-1959, in the Collection of Berklee College of Music academic publications, 1949-2017, BCA-043. https://archives.berklee.edu/islandora/1958-1959-berklee-school-music-catalog. Berklee Archives, Stan Getz Library, Boston, Massachusetts.
Additionally, when displaying or broadcasting material from Berklee Archives, please include the following credit: "Courtesy of Berklee Archives"
We are happy to receive questions regarding how to cite an item from the Archives at archives@berklee.edu. We also invite you to send us a copy of your final work using our materials so we may add it to our collections.
Request Forms
Reproduction request processes differ based on collection and format. If you are unsure how to submit your request, please email archives@berklee.edu and we will be happy to assist.
- Use the Reproduction Request Form to request scans or photocopies of documents or photographic materials, including scores/charts.
- Note: Please be as specific as possible when submitting your request. Keep in mind that generally, only a small percentage of a collection may be scanned. Email the staff regarding large requests.
- Use the Berklee Archives Recordings Request Form to request digital access to College and Conservatory event recordings.
- Note: Streaming access to audiovisual material is generally restricted to the Berklee community (see LibGuide). Requests from patrons outside the Berklee community may require an on-campus appointment to view.
- Email archives@berklee.edu to request access to non-Berklee-event audiovisual recordings.
- Use the Request for Permission to Publish, Exhibit or Broadcast form to request publication permission.
- Reminder: Berklee Archives may grant permission to publish, exhibit, or broadcast only when Berklee is unambiguously the copyright holder. Berklee Archives does not hold copyright for most items in our collections, and we are unable to grant or deny publication permissions for those items.
Takedown Policy
If the Archives is notified of a potential breach of copyright, or other reasonable notice of a possible violation of any law (including but not limited to laws on copyright, patent, intellectual property, trademark, confidentiality, data protection) the complete document or dataset or relevant portion will be removed from the repository as quickly as possible pending further investigation.
To notify Berklee Archives of a takedown request, please email the name and URL of the item(s) at issue, an explanation of any claims to rights for the material, the action requested, and the reason for the requested action to archives@berklee.edu. Upon receipt of a request, Archives staff will acknowledge the request promptly and assess its validity. We may temporarily remove the material from public view while we review the concern. When we have completed the review, we will take appropriate action and communicate that action to you.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We gratefully acknowledge the MIT Libraries, Yale University Libraries, Wesleyan University, and the University of Nebraska, whose use and permission policies were an inspiration and template for ours.
