Research Use, Permissions & Licensing
We want our research to be useful, beautiful and easy to understand. We also want to be clear and fair about how historic images, maps, newspaper articles and archive material can be used.
Many of the materials used in place history research are held by libraries, archives, museums, publishers, map collections, image libraries or private collections. Some can be used freely. Some can be used with a simple credit. Some need permission or a paid licence, especially if they are being used publicly or commercially.
This page explains how we think about use, permissions and licensing, so you know what to expect before you commission any additional outputs such as booklets, framed displays, website content, social media posts or development hoardings.
The simple principle
If the research is just for your own interest, internal use or private reference, things are usually more straightforward.
If the material is going to be used publicly, displayed to customers or visitors, used in marketing, shared online, or sold as part of a product, then permissions may need to be checked and third-party licence fees may apply.
That feels fair. If a business or organisation benefits from the use of historic photographs, maps, archive documents or newspaper material, then the people and organisations who preserve, manage or own that material may also need to be recognised, credited or paid.
Our aim is to make this clear from the start, not to surprise you later.
Four simple use levels
To keep things understandable, we use four broad use levels.
A PDF research pack for your own interest, internal reference, staff interest, private discussion or background research.
Usually the simplest level. This is where most research projects start.
Framed material in your premises, a coffee-table booklet in reception, or printed copies for visitors, residents, guests, staff or clients.
Permissions may need checking if archive images, maps or newspaper material are reproduced.
Website pages, social media, email newsletters, press material, public PDF downloads, development hoardings, sales or marketing displays.
This is more clearly public-facing or promotional, so third-party permissions are more likely to be needed.
Selling booklets, prints, guides, maps, image packs or any product based on the research.
This would need to be discussed separately and may require additional licences or agreements.
Most clients will probably only need Level 1, 2 or 3.
What counts as private or internal use?
Private or internal use usually means the research is being used for your own interest, understanding or internal discussion.
This might include:
a PDF research pack sent to you
internal sharing with colleagues or staff
background research before a project, event or refurbishment
a private printed copy for your own reference
material used to help you understand the history of a site or building
This is usually the simplest form of use.
What counts as on-site display?
On-site display means the material is used within your own premises, but may be seen by staff, guests, clients, residents, customers or visitors.
This might include:
framed historic images in a reception area
a printed booklet on a coffee table
display panels inside a hotel, office, shop, restaurant, school or venue
material shown in a sales suite or residents’ lounge
printed copies given to guests, residents, clients or visitors
This kind of use may need additional permissions if the display includes archive images, historic maps, newspaper extracts or other third-party material.
What counts as public promotion or online use?
Public promotion means the material is being used to communicate with a wider audience, promote a business or development, or appear online.
This might include:
website pages
social media posts
email newsletters
press releases
public PDF downloads
development hoardings
exhibition panels visible to the public
sales or marketing material
launch event material
This type of use is more likely to need permission checks, especially where archive images, historic maps or newspaper material are included.
What counts as resale or commercial publication?
Resale means the finished material is being sold or turned into a commercial product.
This might include:
a booklet sold to the public
prints sold individually
a published guidebook
paid digital downloads
merchandise or products using archive images or maps
commercial publications based on the research
This is different from using the research for your own interest, display or marketing. If you want to sell the finished material, please tell us at the beginning so we can advise properly.
Different types of material
A research project may include several different types of material. Each type can have different rights, permissions or licensing requirements.
Our writing, research summaries, captions, layouts, modern photography and design work.
Your agreed package will explain how you can use this material.
Photographs, plans, brochures, letters, records or memories supplied by you.
We may ask you to confirm that you own the material or have permission to use it.
Historic images from libraries, archives, museums or image collections.
These may need permission or a licence depending on how they are used.
Old Ordnance Survey maps, Goad maps, estate maps, city plans or other map collections.
Some older maps may be out of copyright, but scans, reproductions and website terms may still matter.
Historic articles, clippings, adverts, reports or extracts.
These are often controlled by newspaper archives, publishers or subscription services and may have limits on reuse.
Material released under Creative Commons or similar licences.
This may be usable with the correct credit, depending on the licence terms.
Examples of common uses
Receive a PDF research pack for your own interest.
Share the research internally with staff.
Use the research as background for a project or event.
Keep a printed booklet on a coffee table in your premises.
Frame historic images or maps in reception.
Create display panels inside your venue.
Give printed copies to residents, guests or clients.
Put the story on your website.
Share archive images or story extracts on social media.
Use the material in an email newsletter.
Use the research on development hoardings.
Send material to the press.
Sell a booklet, print, guide or other product.
This table is a guide. We will always look at the specific project, sources and intended use before confirming what permissions may be needed.
Will there be extra costs?
Not always.
Many projects can be kept simple, especially if the research is for private or internal use, or if we use our own writing, our own photographs, openly licensed material, or material that does not require additional permission.
Extra costs are more likely when a project includes third-party archive images, high-resolution scans, historic maps, newspaper material, public display, online publication, marketing use, hoardings or resale.
Where extra costs may apply, we will explain this before ordering, licensing or including that material in the final public-facing output.
How we keep things clear
Our approach is simple:
We identify the type of material being used.
We ask how you want to use the finished research.
We place the project into the relevant use level.
We check whether any third-party permissions or licence fees are likely.
We tell you before any additional cost is incurred.
We do not want licensing to feel confusing or open-ended. The aim is to give you clear choices.
What if licensing is too expensive?
If a particular image, map or article is too expensive, too restricted, or not available for the use you want, we can usually look for another way to tell the story.
For example, we may be able to:
use a different archive image
use a lower-cost source
use a modern photograph instead
refer to a source without reproducing it
use a short written summary rather than an image
create a simple diagram or timeline
use material that is out of copyright or openly licensed
design the page differently so the story still works
The best historic image is not always the only way to tell a good story.
Archive photographs
Archive photographs can be one of the most powerful parts of a place history project. They can show a building, street, business or neighbourhood in a way that words alone cannot.
However, historic photographs are often owned, managed or licensed by archives, libraries, museums, image collections or individual rights holders.
If we want to use an archive photograph in a public-facing document, framed display, booklet, website, social media post, hoarding or marketing campaign, we may need to check the correct permission and cost.
Historic maps
Historic maps are often essential for understanding how a place has changed.
They can show lost streets, former buildings, old boundaries, previous uses, railway lines, canals, yards, mills, pubs, churches, schools and other details that may no longer exist.
Some older maps may be out of copyright, but that does not automatically mean every scan or reproduction can be used freely in every format. The source of the map, the age of the map, the scan provider, the copyright status and the intended use all need to be considered.
Newspaper articles and historic stories
Newspaper articles can be extremely useful for finding events, names, adverts, inquests, openings, closures, sales, crimes, celebrations and everyday stories connected with a place.
However, newspaper archives and subscription services often have their own terms for how articles, clippings and images can be reused.
In many cases, we may use newspaper material as a research source and then write our own summary of the story, rather than reproducing the article itself.
Credits and acknowledgements
Where required, archive material will be credited.
Credits may appear in captions, image notes, end pages, a source list, a website credit section or another suitable location.
A credit might include the archive name, collection name, map series, reference number, photographer, publisher, copyright holder or licence statement.
Proper crediting is part of using historic material respectfully.
Can we avoid third-party licensing altogether?
Sometimes, yes.
A project can often be designed to reduce or avoid third-party licensing costs by using:
our own writing
our own modern photography
client-supplied material where permission is clear
public domain or openly licensed material
short references to sources rather than reproductions
archive material used only where permission is affordable and appropriate
This can be a good option if you want a simple research pack without extra public-use licensing.
Our promise
We will be transparent about likely permissions and third-party licensing costs.
We will not knowingly include archive images, maps, newspaper material or other third-party material in a public-facing output without considering whether the intended use is permitted.
Where a licence or permission is needed, we will explain the position clearly and seek your approval before any additional cost is incurred.
Important note
This page is intended as a practical guide, not formal legal advice.
Copyright and licensing can be complex, and different archives, publishers and rights holders have different rules. For high-value commercial use, resale, major publication or sensitive rights issues, you may wish to take independent legal advice.
Questions?
If you are not sure which use level applies to your project, please get in touch.
The most useful thing to tell us is:
the place or building you are interested in
how you want to use the finished research
whether you want a private PDF, printed booklet, framed display, online story, social media content, hoarding, event material or something else
From there, we can advise on the simplest and most suitable route.