Frequently Asked Questions

Questions:

1. What is the Prints and Photographs Division?
2. Are all of Prints and Photographs Division holdings on computer?
3. Does the Prints and Photographs Division have a catalog it can send out?
4. Is it possible to get copies of images in the Prints and Photographs Division holdings?
5. Is everything in Prints and Photographs Division collections in the public domain?
6. What kind of help will I receive if I come to the Prints and Photographs Reading Room? Should I make an appointment?
7. What if I cannot come to the Library of Congress to do research and cannot find what I need through reference aids or Internet?
8. Does the Prints and Photographs Division provide information on the monetary value of photographs and prints?
9. How can I give photographs or prints to the Prints and Photographs Division?
10. Is the Prints and Photographs Division a good source for images of recent news events?
11. Is the Prints and Photographs Division a good place to get reproductions of paintings and art posters?
12. How do the holdings of the Prints and Photographs Division compare to those of the National Archives Still Picture Branch?

Answers:

1. What is the Prints and Photographs Division?

The Prints and Photographs Division acquires, cares for, and makes available collections of original photographs, prints, drawings, posters, and architectural records. The collections, today numbering over thirteen million items, are a great national resource for Congress, scholars, the media, and the general public. The collections are international in scope, although U.S. history is a particular strength of the holdings. Material in the collections date from the fifteenth century (fine prints) to the twentieth century. For an overview of Prints and Photographs Division holdings, see the Prints and Photographs Illustrated Guide (guide/).

2. Are records of all of Prints and Photographs Division holdings on computer?

No. The Prints and Photographs Division has been in an existence for nearly a century. Over that time, various manual access systems were developed to assist researchers in locating images of various types. Also, some collections came with their own manual access systems. These systems include vertical "browsing" files, card catalogs, and book publications. Most cataloging is now done on computer and is available in the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (catalog.html), which provides access to a rich cross-section of our holdings. The catalog covers about half of our total holdings and many of the records describe groups of images, rather than individual items. Some of the previously existing manual access systems are being converted to computer.

3. Does the Prints and Photographs Division have a catalog it can send out?

No. As noted above (#2), not all of the Prints & Photographs Division's large holdings are listed in a single catalog; many images are made available only through vertical files in the Prints and Photographs Division reading room. The Prints and Photographs Division does offer reference aids on popularly requested topics, some of which include illustrations and reproduction numbers needed to order photographic copies from the Library of Congress Duplication Services. For a list of online reference aids, see "Guides, Reference Aids and Finding Aids." For a bibliography of books drawing heavily on Prints and Photographs Division Collections, see Reference Aid #30 - "Publications Relating to Collections Held by the Prints and Photographs Division."

4. Is it possible to get copies of images?

Yes, it is generally possible to get copies of one sort or another:

• Xeroxes: In many cases, material may be xeroxed by researchers, but all material must first be reviewed by reference staff, as some images are too fragile to go on a xerox machine.
• Computer printouts: Images that have been digitized can be printed at laser printers in the reading room.
• Camera copying in the Reading Room: Hand-held camera copying is permitted as a service to patrons who wish to make reference copies of material that is not allowed on the xerox machines and to people who are making slides for academic classes. No artificial light, flash, tripod, or copy stand may be used when doing such photography, and if the original item is housed in a plastic sleeve, the sleeve must remain on the item while photographing.
• Quality photographic copies: Photographs of most images may be ordered from the Library of Congress Duplication Services. The Duplication Services offers a range of services, including printing from photographic negatives and from digital files (a range of sizes is available), and copying of digital files. The Duplication Services generally estimates that it will take 3 to 6 weeks to produce and send reproductions, once an order and payment have been received. You must know an item's reproduction number or its specific call number to place an order. Further information on prices, payments, and services is available from the Library's Duplication Services (telephone: 202-707-5640.)

5. Is everything in the Prints and Photographs Division collections in the public domain?

No. While many images are unrestricted, many are not. Patrons need to be aware of the several kinds of rights which might apply: copyright, donor restrictions, privacy rights, publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. The Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions (such as donor restrictions, privacy rights, publicity rights, licensing and trademarks) when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the Division's collections. The Division's staff will attempt to inform patrons about such restrictions when information is readily available through the Division's records. However, these records are not always complete. The U.S. Copyright Office provides various circulars with information about the duration of copyright, conducting copyright searches, and "fair use." For further information, see Reference Aid #195, "Copyright and Other Restrictions Which Apply to Publication and Other Forms of Distribution of Images: Sources for Information and the Rights and Restrictions Information page."

6. What kind of help will I receive if I come to the Prints and Photographs Reading Room? Should I make an appointment?

Full use of the collections requires the help of Division staff who provide assistance in understanding the Division's many different cataloging/finding systems and who oversee the safe use of the varied types of material that are served. Two reference librarians are on duty in the Reading Room to assist patrons. However, for the best service, patrons are urged to use the reading room during times which are usually the least busy -- the early hours of the day (8:30-10:30), the months of November, December, January and February, and the early parts of the week. Patrons involved in complex research are urged to call the Reading Room and discuss their search before making a visit. Again, the early hours of the day and the early days of the week are the best times to call. Arrangements need not be made in advance except:

• when patrons expect to view more than 15 original items from the Division's collections of posters, drawings, master photographs, and fine prints (this does not include documentary photographs, the bulk of the Division's holdings)
• for classes or other study groups
• when the number of images required by a project will far exceed average use (e.g. searching thousands of images for digital publication).
• when requesting materials from uncataloged collections, off-site storage, or when requesting to view materials such as original architectural drawings that have been designated "serve by appointment," because of their fragility.

7. What if I cannot come to the Library to do research and cannot find what I need through the online catalog or reference aids?

Prints and Photographs Division staff can provide a limited amount of research service by mail and telephone. Staff will research requests received by mail for specific images in the collections when limited to fifteen or fewer items in the calendar year. Accurate information is essential. The following procedures are suggested:

• Refer to books in your local bookstores and libraries that illustrate the subject of interest,
• Ascertain that the Library of Congress is the source of the picture that you want by checking the credits and acknowledgments in the publication,
• Enclose a xerox of the picture that you want,
• Fully cite the publication from which you xeroxed the picture, giving the author, title, date of publication, page, and caption,
• Describe the picture as specifically as possible, including the subject, date, original medium, and artist, photographer, and/or collection name.

Requests made by mail or FAX are answered in order of receipt. The average response time is about four weeks. Generally, responses will consist of xeroxes or descriptions of images, reproduction order forms, and reproduction price lists. The staff cannot conduct lengthy searches, make editorial selection of images, create extensive lists of images, nor undertake other extensive research projects. When these services are required, a list of freelance picture searchers in the Washington, D.C., area can be supplied.

8. Does the Prints and Photographs Division provide information on the monetary value of photographs and prints?

No. The Prints and Photographs Division cannot appraise or evaluate images in personal or other public collections. It is best to contact appraisers or dealers for such services. Various published indexes to sales auctions may supply some information on sales trends. New York Public Library staff have prepared a finding guide for art auction catalogs. The Prints and Photographs Division does not have a systematic collection of such catalogs.

9. How can I give photographs, prints, or drawings to the Prints and Photographs Division?

The Library of Congress appreciates your offer of works on paper to the Prints and Photographs Division. A letter describing the material, including the creator, medium, format, quatity, dates, condition and history, should be sent to:

Chief
Prints & Photographs Division
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20540-4730

Please be assured that the staff will carefully review the work in light of the Library's existing collections, resources, and acquisitions objectives.

10. Is the Prints and Photographs Division a good source for images of recent news events?

In general, the Prints and Photographs Division does not have images of news events more recent than the mid-1980's. One exception is a special acquisition effort to collect materials relating to the events of September 11, 2001.

11. Is the Prints and Photographs Division a good place to get reproductions of paintings and art posters?

No. The Prints and Photographs Division has only scattered reproductions of paintings and other works of art, and those it does have are not usually in color or of uniformly high quality. It is best to contact the owner of the original painting or work of art for reproductions of such works, or to consult a commercial supplier of art reproductions.

Although the Prints and Photographs Division does have a very strong poster collection, the Duplication Services (the part of the Library of Congress that handles reproduction orders) can only make photographic reproductions of such works; it does not make facsimile posters.

12. How do the holdings of the Prints and Photographs Division compare to those of the National Archives Still Picture Branch?

Generally, the National Archives is the custodian for permanent records of U.S. government agencies, so it holds images made by and for the U.S. government. With the exception of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Collection and the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record, the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division has only scattered holdings of U.S. government images. Because the National Archives receives the records of the U.S. military, for instance, the National Archives Still Picture Branch has more systematic and better indexed holdings for U.S. military units, vessels, and aircraft than does the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Additional sources of military images are identified in Reference Aid #65, "Sources of Military Images: Major Repositories."

Prepared by Prints and Photographs Division staff. Last revised, Sept. 2003.