Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Archives Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trustees review draft policy on digitizing images that show human remains
Summary
Chicopee Public Library trustees agreed a click-through notice and descriptive text should accompany sensitive images in the Chicopee Room, asked staff to limit additional access barriers and directed the director to review liability and Digital Archives wording before returning with revised policy language.
Chicopee Public Library trustees reviewed a draft Chicopee Room policy titled “Digitization of Images Showing Human Remains” at their Feb. 9 meeting and agreed that sensitive images should remain accessible online only with a click-through notice and descriptive context.
The board discussed how to balance public access with sensitivity. “All board members agree on the need for a click-through and description for sensitive images,” the meeting minutes state. Trustees said they were uncomfortable creating extra procedural barriers beyond that approach.
Trustee Judith Chelte questioned potential liability from making graphic images publicly available. Library Director Laura Bovee said she will take the trustees’ recommendations back to History Room staff, review licensing and liability best practices, and examine the Digital Archives web pages’ wording to clarify access controls and disclaimers. She is to report back to the Trustees with proposed revisions.
The trustees did not adopt a final policy at the meeting and left the draft in staff review. The next step is for the director and History Room staff to return with revised language and any recommended procedural safeguards or legal counsel input.
