I don’t begrudge anyone the costs associated with reproduction, and I have found them to be very reasonable.

I also was very surprised by the high costs associated with permissions. Fortunately, in a few cases I was able to get them reduced or waived entirely when they learned my book was being done by a small- to mid-sized publisher.

A few, however – including the folks at the NY State Veterans Museum – had very high costs; others who offer high quality scans from original Harper’s Weekly’s were wanting $150 for a single image…that’s more than most would pay for an original full issue of even the rarest HW.

I must give kudos to the people at du Pont’s Hagley Museum and Library as well as the Wisconsin Historical Society.

My best advice is to scour the LOC – not just the digital image collection like American Memory but also the actual catalog as it will bring up many digital images.

As my first book was not a battle narrative I did not have maps, but I did do my own indexing, and I’ll say it was the least fun part of the book process.

All my best to all of you,

Jim Schmidt

It must be done for the love of it, that’s for sure. As you said in an earlier post, if you like to eat, and sleep indoors, don’t quit your day job.

J.D.

Then there are the various photocopying and research fees that institutions charge. IMO, some are reasonable and others are ridiculously exorbitant. Of course, the author also has to factor the costs of getting to the research facility or, if using a researcher, his/her hourly fees. It aint cheap and will only get worse.

As for paying to use those old CW photos, as a layman I’ve assumed that though the image’s age might legally place it in the public domain per the copyright laws, a particular person/institution might “own” the actual negative, and therefore feels it can charge for its use. For example, I’m using an image in my next book that a particular institution claims to own. Thus they charge fees for both the hard-copy photograph and its use. I’ve never seen this photograph at any other institution or in any book.

Do they have a case? What say you, counselor?

Paul

I ran out of money and did my own maps.

You should try doing a “modern” book with lots of in-copyright illustrations. Fun, fun, fun.