Recently Asked Questions (RAQs)

An academic librarian relayed this question from a researcher/author:

"I am in the stage of tracking down photo permissions and have found images originally published by U.S. presses from the late 1800s and early 1900s (1887, 1893) that are now defunct--hence I cannot request photo permissions from them. The images are posted online by historical societies, but I'm not sure if they're in the public domain or not.   I plan to reach out to the society publishing the images on their digital archives, and credit them for using the images, but is there any other factor to consider?"

[NOTE: Since they authorized a public reply, we're keeping the name of the member organization submitting the question in this RAQ.  Usually, we genericize, but in this case, we trust you see why we kept the member's name in the question.]

QUESTION

Our organization has voted to change its name in an effort to re-brand to a more contemporary audience. Our original charter, granted in 1909, will not change, nor our legal name (Ticonderoga Historical Society).

What steps do we need to take to register our new name? Is this what is called a "DBA" and are there other steps we must take?

As part of a town bicentennial celebration, the committee wants to create a map of historic properties. There would be a description of the property noting its historic significance, the address, and ideally a photo. Many of the properties are privately owned. Do owners need to give permission for their property to be included? We would publish the address and describe the history of the property, but current owners' names would not be disclosed. We want to share history, but respect privacy. What legalities should we be aware of?

How long should the library retain employee records, payroll records, sales and purchase records, mortgage and loan documents, and other records?

My hometown library has implemented a fitness waiver for their movement and exercise activity programs. I am wondering if this is a good idea for my library. We provide some exercise classes including chair yoga, Zumba, nature walks, and are looking into another movement class activity. For reference, please copy and paste the form used by my hometown library [redacted for anonymity] into your browser or refer to the attached screenshot. Are we within our legal/ethical practices to implement such a waiver? Will we need to consult an attorney to draw up the waiver for a fee, or can we borrow the language used by [redacted for anonymity]? Thank you.