The Imaging team is experiencing extended disruptions to our operations due to the Folger building renovations and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to work remotely and are unable to accept requests for new photography at this time.
Permission to publish images
Given the continued disruption of our imaging services, we are suspending permission fees for all images in our Online Digital Image Database where copyright is held by the Folger Shakespeare Library.
We grant blanket permission for reuse, with two exceptions:
- If a copyright holder other than “Folger Shakespeare Library” is listed in the “Copyright information” with the image, then we have no legal right to grant permission for that image’s reuse. You will need to contact the copyright holder directly to request permission for reuse.
- If you wish to reproduce our images on physical objects (paper, wallpaper, placemats, toothbrushes, notebooks, postcards, etc.) so that you may offer them for sale, please contact us to discuss artwork licensing.
If your publisher requires a formal letter of permission, please contact us at photo@folger.edu.
Attribution
We request that you use the attribution: “by permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library”. In addition, we request that you provide, at minimum, the “Source Call Number” with the signature, folio, or page number, and/or the “Digital Image File Name” for the image.
This is an example of attribution with Source Call Number with page number, along with the Digital Image File Name (our preferred option):
STC 4863.5, page 254, image 063906, used by permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library.
This is an example of attribution with a Source Call Number and page number:
STC 4863.5, page 254, used by permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library.
This is an example of attribution with a Digital Image File Name:
Image 063906, used by permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library.
Where possible, we prefer the expanded citation with attribution provided below. If you need any bibliographic information for your Folger images, please let us know.
Author. Title (Place of publication, publication date), signature/folio/page (if applicable). Call #: XXX. Used by permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library.
example: John Speed (1552? – 1629). Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine (London: [T. Snodham], 1616), plate after page 137: Map of Ireland. Call #: STC 23044. Used by permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library.
If you have taken your own pictures of items that are not under copyright, you are free to reuse those images. As a courtesy, we ask that you include the following with your citation information:
[Citation, preferably with call number and signature/folio/page number.] Photograph by [your name here], from the collection of the Folger Shakespeare Library.
Questions about permissions to reuse content in our Online Digital Image Database should be addressed to photo@folger.edu.
Permission to use website content
The Folger licenses most content on this website under a Creative Commons license. For information on this license, please visit our Copyright page.
Permission to quote text
To request permission to publish text beyond the scope of the Creative Commons license, please contact us at webmaster@folger.edu.
No permission is required to quote excerpts or publish transcriptions from items in the collection not under copyright.
Permission for on-site filming
Please contact Garland Scott, head of external relations, at (202) 675-0342 or gscott@folger.edu
