The Emilio Segrè Visual Archives (ESVA) is composed of copies of images received from various donors and sources. Though we (the American Institute of Physics) have copyright to some images, we do not claim copyright to many images in our collections. We provide as much information as possible in our metadata.
Responsibility for clearing copyright for publication or public display remains with the user. While we cannot provide legal advice, please reach out to us at nbl@aip.org with questions and clarifications about the ESVA that are not answered by this guide.
Please be advised that the ESVA will not sign any publishers' forms or any legal contracts pertaining to the use of our images.
At the bottom of the image's Metadata table, is there a Copyright Holder line? It is usually the last line of the Metadata table, after Physical Location. An example of an image with the Copyright Holder field is Rubin Vera F1. If no Copyright Holder line is present, skip to the next section: No Copyright Holder line is present.
This means we freely give permission for you to use the image in your project(s). Simply download the image (how to download) and use the credit line listed. There is no need to email us or fill out an Item Request Form. An example of an image with American Institute of Physics in the Copyright Holder line is Rubin Vera F1.
If an institution other that American Institute of Physics is the Copyright Holder, this means that we don’t hold copyright and to the best of our knowledge, the indicated entity owns the copyright. In the example Photophone H1, Nokia Bell Labs is the Copyright Holder. In this scenario, we cannot grant permission for the image’s use in a project. We recommend contacting the copyright holder listed for permissions. If you need assistance locating contact information for the copyright holder, please email nbl@aip.org.
If you are able to obtain permission to use the photo in your project, or if you claim fair use (this is up to you to determine; NBLA cannot provide guidance on this matter), feel free to download and use our digital copy of the photo.
In the case where there is no Copyright Holder line present at the bottom of the Metadata table, this means that we don’t own the copyright and we don’t know who does; Penzias Arno D2 is an example of this circumstance. This can sometimes be confusing, as we are listed in the Credit line. This simply indicates that we have a physical copy of the photo, not that we claim any copyright. In this case, we cannot grant permission for the image’s use in a project. However, we don't oppose you using our copy of the photo if you obtain permission from the copyright holder or if you determine that your use falls under fair use (this is up to you, as we cannot legally provide copyright guidance). There are some cases where we have an unconfirmed idea of who the copyright holder could be, so it never hurts to reach out to us with questions.
If a photo is in our Reference-only Collection, we do not have permission from the donor/copyright holder to offer high-resolution downloads of the image on our site. You may want to contact the donor or copyright holder for digital copies and permissions to use this image. We may have contact information on file and ask that you reach out to us at nbl@aip.org.
Two scientists, Albert Einstein and Richard Feynman, have what are known as “personality rights” that function separately from copyright. This means that while we may have copyright to some of their images, you may need to secure permission from a third party organization to use their likeness in some circumstances, particularly when your use is commercial.
Albert Einstein:
Einstein's personality rights are managed by CMG Worldwide: https://www.alberteinstein.com/licensing/ on behalf of the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who own the copyright to all of Einstein’s writings as well as his personality rights. If the image is intended for use within a book (e.g., as part of editorial content), they do not need to be involved. However, as the holder of Einstein's publicity rights, their involvement is required if the image is to be used for merchandise or advertising purposes.
In cases of uncertainty, researchers may contact the Albert Einstein Archives at http://www.albert-einstein.org/archives10.html
Richard Feynman’s personality rights are managed by CMG Worldwide. You can license the rights to utilize photos of Richard Feynman through CMG: http://www.richardfeynman.com/business.html.