Digital Photography in Archives

Dun

I was in Dublin last week, and had the opportunity of going to the Valuation Office for a couple of hours at the last minute, and ill-prepared, other than a notebook and paper. I started thinking as I was transcribing notes from the Cancelled Land books, that it would be so much handier if I were able to take a shot with my camera, cause at €1.27 a page, copying is a rip-off.

I asked a member of staff who said it wasn't allowed, and I have since had confirmation by e-mail.

What do you think? Should we be able to take copies of state-owned records (as opposed to the likes of copies of parish books) with a digital camera? Many of these records are accessible in LDS Family History Centres, where you are free to "snap" away. As long as the digital cameras are silent and no flash, I don't know any valid reason why they shouldn't be allowed - particularly in the case of the Cancelled Land Books, because I always come back with at least one or two lines of my own notes that I no longer understand, since they can be so difficult to decipher all too often.

pinkypinky

Rules really vary on this.

The National Library allows digital photography as long as you sign a waiver, which I'm fine with.

I think the Archives doesn't allow it - I remember having to had transcribe a will not too long ago because I couldn't photograph it.

I think they should allow it - it would free up staff time, if nothing else.

Dun

I didn't realise that about the National Library - does that apply to the likes of using Parish Records in the microfilm room? It's just the last time I was there, I did see a sign in that room saying no photography, which is a shame but I thought it was understandable, given the source of the records not being the state but the religious bodies.

pinkypinky

I don't know about the parish microfilms, but you can at least print them out now.

Dun

Do they come out well? Any idea how much they cost?

i5kra

They allow digital photography in the prints and drawings room of the National Library as well (no flash). They have some very fragile stuff there as well. As long as the flash is off then there is no reason why it shouldn't be allowed.

I use an old Canon A640 which has a decent macro feature so that I can get a clear picture of small features on a page which tend to disappear if you just get a picture of the whole page/picture.

Never thought about the microfilm though - again, I see no reason other than disturbing other people why it shouldn't be allowed.

Dun

I would regularly go to the LDS Family History Centre in Derry, and use my digital camera to photograph the microfilm reader screens. The machines are the SOLAR ones, exact same as the ones in the National Library with the film at the bottom rather than the top. They come out well, and don't think it would ever disturb another user when the camera is silent.

Wyldwood

I've taken photos of the microfilm in the NLI on several occasions & nobody ever stopped me. Can't see what the problem is when it's for personal use.

Dun

I don't either, but I'd be mortified if someone came and stopped me. But that's just me

Dun

I wrote an e-mail to the Fine Gael T.D. in my constituency who said I had made a valid point, and said he had "brought it to the attention" of Brian Hughes, Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works. I'm not holding my breath waiting for a reply, but if I hear anything back, I'll post an update