Book Chapter: Copyright and Legal Issues Surrounding 3D Data

My colleague in Library Futures, Kyle Courtney, collaborated with others to write "Copyright and Legal Issues Surrounding 3D Data," which is available for you to read. This chapter is part of the forthcoming book 3D Data Creation to Curation: Community Standards for 3D Data Preservation.  It looks like the book editors - Moore, Rountrey, and Kettler - have been working on the standards for a while and have built quite a community! That should make this book valuable for many.

However, while you're waiting for the book to be published, read the chapter on the legal issues. Citation and abstract for the chapter are below.

Citation

D’Andrea, Andrea, Michale Conyers, Kyle K. Courtney, Emily Finch, Melissa Levine, et. al. "Copyright and Legal Issues Surrounding 3D Data." In 3D Data Creation to Curation: Community Standards for 3D Data Preservation, eds. Jennifer Moore, Adam Rountrey, and Hannah Scates Kettler. Chicago: Association of Research and College Libraries (ALA), 2022.

Abstract

An overview of essential legal concepts and strategies, this chapter synthesizes the ideas, questions, and legal issues that arise in relation to 3D data. Case studies provide scenarios based on real-world situations that will help readers recognize legal and policy issues. Readers will have a framework for thoughtful decision making that is consistent with their particular mission.

We begin with a general overview of US Copyright Law and then focus on case law that is relevant for understanding the legal status of 3D models. Case studies focus on creation or acquisition methodologies including: institutional photogrammetryi of an object, indigenous community and non-profit organization partnership to digitally document and preserve cultural artifacts, transferring ownership of 3D data to an institutional repository, and a complex researcher-developed 3D model. These case studies are used to provide relevant illustrations of practices and situations that may prompt legal questions, but we also recommend considering more complex ethical issues early on. These case studies will help readers recognize legal and policy issues that may be relevant to their current practices in 3D creation and dissemination, and review will emphasize expectations under both open and restricted accessii scenarios, including contracts and licensing. In certain case studies, expansions are included to highlight additional domain-specific questions.