Colleagues may recall that a few weeks ago I posted a question to the list regarding the pros, cons, and practicalities of digital watermarking. Apologies if I haven’t managed to get back to everyone personally, but I would like to thank everyone who responded, all your replies have been extremely useful, and certainly provided food for thought on the overall value of watermarking. It is also worth noting that with any of these approaches, it is possible for users who have the technical knowhow to remove digital watermarks.
To summarise the responses I have received:
• Both CALM(View) and AdLib [which is used at Brent] provide the option to watermark images automatically as they display on the online catalogue – that is, in the image viewer, rather than on the saved digital image itself, meaning that there is no need to save (and digitally preserve) two versions of the image, one with watermark and one without. Using this option, at least with AdLib, has a cost attached.
• Several people commented that watermarking impairs the authenticity of the digitized image, and suggested that the best way to protect images available via websites is by using low resolution versions, rather than by watermarking. In general, the consensus was that we should be increasing accessibility through digitisation where possible, and conflicting views were expressed on whether a low-res image or a watermarked one was more accessible to users.
• A number of software programmes that can be used for batch watermarking are available to download for free or for purchase. Recommendations include UMark Lite or Professional; K-Lab. If you have the IT expertise, a script can also be written in Adobe Photoshop to batch watermark images.
• Where organizations making images available online do not hold the copyright to the images, publishing them to the web is itself an infringement, though the benefits to users are generally/often seen as outweighing the legal risks. Copyright guidance should of course be clearly included in the terms and conditions of use of any website where images are being made available so that users are aware of the terms of permitted reuse.
Several people who are soon to undertake digitization projects expressed a particular interest in this subject – if there is anything from this summary you would like me to expand upon, please do get in touch again.
Thanks again to all who responded.
Kate
Kate Jarman
Archivist
Brent Archives
020 8937 3677
www.brent.gov.uk/archives
Our current exhibitions:
Ernest Trobridge: Visionary of the Suburbs http://www.brent.gov.uk/museumarchive.nsf/pages/LBB-33
Brent An Olympic Borough http://www.brent.gov.uk/museumarchive.nsf/pages/LBB-36
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