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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Operational Archives Branch Policy on Scanning and Digitization

The Operational Archives Branch will evaluate requests to use personal scanners on a case-by-case basis.  In order to expedite your request, we suggest that you contact the archives prior to your visit identifying the scanner that you wish to use, the purpose of your scanning project, and, if known, the material to be scanned.

All researchers using scanners are required to abide by the following rules and any additional instructions given by the staff of the Operational Archives Branch.  Failure to follow these rules and staff instructions will lead to the researcher's scanning privileges being revoked.

Equipment

• The use of automatic document feeders is prohibited.
• When using hand-held scanners a sheet of Mylar must be placed between the document and the scanner.
• The Operational Archives Branch will not provide disks, CD-ROMs, or other storage media.

Documents

• The Operational Archives Branch may refuse permission to scan any documents that it believes will be damaged by scanning, disassembly, or excessive handling.
• Previously classified documents must have their original classification markings removed by Operational Archives staff prior to scanning.
• Any documents containing staples, Acco fasteners, or other fasteners or bindings must be disassembled by Operational Archives staff prior to scanning.
• Due to the damage that flattening a bound volume may cause, the scanning of scrapbooks and other bound volumes will be allowed only by permission of the processing archivist or Branch Head.

Copyright

• It is the responsibility of the researcher to comply with all copyright provisions.
• The scanning of commercially published books and other non-government publications is prohibited during the life of their copyright protection.
• Official government photographs and documents are in the public domain and may be scanned and reproduced in print or online.  They may be cropped or resized, but their content may not be altered.  It is requested that any photograph or document used in print or online credit the Operational Archives, in the form:

  Folder title, Box number, Collection, Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center, Washington, DC

• Personal papers collections often contain numerous copyright holders.  Scanning from personal papers collections will be limited to those materials for which the donor held copyright and has transferred it to the Naval Historical Center and those whose copyrights have expired.  Scanned photographs or documents from personal papers collections may not be reproduced in print or online without permission from the Operational Archives Branch.

19 June 2001