Use of collections

Wherever possible, the IISH collections are open and available to all. In our reading room you can scan most materials for your own use. On request, the IISH provides scans against payment of a fee.

To order a scan, use the 'Order reproduction' button. You will find it next to the placement number in the online catalogue. Here, you can either request a quote first, or order and pay directly.

Before ordering scans of archive materials, we recommend that you first consult the available inventory of the archive in question. This will allow you to make the most specific request possible. Please note that access to certain archives may be restricted.

Fragile materials cannot be scanned.

fees

• Low-resolution scans (pdf): € 0.50
• High-resolution scans (tiff): € 20

Digitisation of DVDs, LPs, video and audio tapes is always by arrangement. Please contact ask@iisg.nl for details.

Due to copyright regulations, it is not possible to order scans of books published less than 70 years ago.

More information about our fees.

In most cases, the IISH does not own the copyright to the material and does not mediate in copyright issues. You can find our copyright statement below. 

1. As part of its mission, the IISH makes its collections available for research, teaching and private use.
2. The IISH provides any known copyright information along with the materials. If available, this information can be found in the catalogue description.
3. In most cases, the IISH is not the copyright holder of collection materials.
4. Reproductions of material from IISH collections are provided for research, teaching and private use.
5. If you wish to use any materials for a different purpose, such as publication, or dissemination by other means, you yourself are obliged to track down the copyright holder and comply with their terms of use.
6. The IISH does not mediate in third-party copyright issues.
7. Unless the IISH itself is copyright holder, it cannot grant or refuse permission for publication or dissemination in any other way. For permissions and fees, you must contact the copyright holder.
8. The IISG does not accept responsibility for how the material is used.
9. For more information on copyright, see the following websites: www.auteursrecht.nl (in Dutch) or www.pictoright.nl
10. When using materials from the IISH collection, the IISH must be cited as source: [Name of collection], International Institute of Social History (Amsterdam).

It is possible to obtain IISH material on loan for the purpose of exhibitions, provided that the exhibition space meets the usual museum climate requirements.

In short:

• An exhibition fee is charged for the loan of documents.
• The borrower arranges and is responsible for transport and insurance.
• The associated costs are payable by the borrower. The IISG draws up a loan agreement and provides the insurance value in advance.
• Requests for loans must be submitted at least six weeks before the opening of the exhibition.

Exceptions:

• Photographic material and video and audio cassettes are not available for loan. There is, however, the possibility of having reproductions made.
• Due to the inclusion of the Karl Marx / Friedrich Engels Papers in the Unesco Memory of the World Register, original documents from this collection are no longer loaned to museums. It remains possible to order scans, however.

More information on conditions and fees.