Reproduction Policy
Personal Photography in NIVAL:
Visitors to NIVAL are welcome to take their own reference photographs (without flash) for personal research purposes only. These images must not be:
- Shared (via email, text message, file transfer, file sharing or other means)
- Reproduced
- Published in any form
NCAD students and staff: Please note that photocopying of collection materials is not permitted.
Reproduction Requests:
If you wish to reproduce images from NIVAL collections for use in:
- Theses or academic research
- Artwork or exhibitions
- Publications (print or digital)
- Other public-facing projects
you must complete and submit a Reproduction Request Form. You can download the form at the end of this page.
In-person requests: If you are visiting the NIVAL Reading Room, please discuss any potential reproduction requests with staff during your appointment. We will help identify the correct reference codes and provide guidance on the request process.
Please note:
Reproduction requests are carefully considered by NIVAL staff. We cannot provide images if the imaging process will cause harm to the original materials. The quality of reproductions may vary depending on the age and condition of the items. Every effort is made to obtain the best possible reproduction without compromising the safety and integrity of the original.
Requests are only considered for educational, academic and non-commercial purposes. NIVAL does not charge a fee for facilitating reproductions.
Additionally, NIVAL respects the artistic integrity of works in the collection. Reproductions will not be provided if the resulting image would distort or alter the artist’s original intent.
Copyright and Use of Reproduced Images
While NIVAL provides public access to collection materials, NIVAL does not hold copyright over most of the materials. If an item is subject to copyright, permission from the copyright holder is required before any form of publication. Although guidance on tracing copyright holders may be available from NIVAL staff, the responsibility for clearing permissions rests with the person or organisation using the image. Proof of permission from the copyright holder or documented evidence of due diligence in attempting to obtain such permission must be provided for images requiring copyright clearance.
Timeframe and Processing
Please allow:
- 6-8 weeks for processing reproduction requests (including digitisation)
- A 30-day notice period for copyright holder response
Conditions of Use for Reproduction of Collection Materials
Once a request is approved, the applicant must agree to and sign the Conditions of Use for Reproduction of Collection Materials before any images can be delivered.
- Acknowledgement: Full and accurate credit must be given to the source and rights holder using the citation provided by NIVAL. This citation must be included in any published or publicly displayed use of the image(s).
- Image Integrity: The image(s) must be reproduced exactly as provided, without any alterations, cropping, enhancement, text overlay, or other modifications.
- Single-Use Agreement: Permission is granted for a single, specified use only, as outlined in the request. Any future use, including but not limited to re-publication, reprinting, exhibition, or use in a new context, requires the submission of a new reproduction request form and must be approved in advance by NIVAL.
- Destruction of Copies: All digital and/or physical copies of the material provided must be permanently deleted or destroyed by the applicant immediately after the agreed single use has been completed.
- Prohibited Actions: The applicant may not store, duplicate, redistribute, or share the image(s) beyond the agreed use. Any such action constitutes a misuse of collection materials and a breach of these terms.
Once your signed agreement is received, a link to download the requested images will be delivered to your provided email address via a secure file transfer service. For any images requiring copyright clearance, files will only be transferred upon receipt of either proof of permission from the copyright holder or documented evidence of due diligence in attempting to obtain such permission.