Special collections require special care, but reproduction of material from our collections is possible in many cases. All requests for reproduction are dependent on the physical condition of the item - for example, tight bindings, fragile or brittle paper, oversize items - as our goal is to preserve the originals for future as well as current use. On occasion reproduction will not be possible because of physical condition, copyright or donor restrictions, or the existence of surrogate copies elsewhere in the University.

We offer a variety of reproduction options depending on the need for which the reproduction is requested (personal use or publication).

Patron self-serve photography

Patrons may make use of the onsite book2net kiosk overhead scanner to digitize items from the Fisher collections for study and research purposes. Images are generated in jpeg, pdf or tiff formats and are saved to a flash drive or memory key. If possible, bring bring your own. We do have a limited number at the reference desk that can be borrowed for the day. The scanner is free to use, but you will be restricted to 15 minutes if other patrons are waiting for its use.

All digitization is done under the supervision of the Fisher Library staff, who will make decisions on the suitability of the material for scanning. Please note that only bound material may be scanned, and not manuscript material.

Scanning Services

Depending on the condition of the item, researchers may request one of our staff to reproduce up to 50 digital images (a double spread book opening will count as one image) every 2 weeks, or a total of 100 pages monthly. Send scanning requests to the library's general e-mail.

Please note that the turnaround time will depend on the number of requests received, but we will try to complete orders within two weeks of submission.

In some cases, we may discover reasons why a particular item cannot be copied, such as its physical condition or format.

Those wishing to have digital images taken from modern archival collections must first consult with the Fisher Archivist Natalya Rattan.

Digital photography by library staff

Imaging from original materials is carried out by a highly qualified photographer using an overhead camera; files are captured in TIFF format (uncompressed, 8-bit channel of colour) and are sent via a file transfer service. The cost per image is $25.00. Reproduction of audio visual materials is possible on a case-by-case basis. For more information about this service, please contact us.

Permission to reproduce

In general permission to copy does not convey the right to reproduce or publish the material. However, in the majority of cases the material in our collections is in the public domain. The Library is committed to broadening access to our materials, therefore we do not charge a rights or use fee, and permission to publish is not required. We request that you cite the source in the form:

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto

For unpublished or copyrighted material patrons are responsible for obtaining appropriate rights, including ascertaining the applicable copyright, donor, privacy, and other legal requirements for reproduction and for any other use other than that for research or private study. A good source of information on Canadian copyright law can be found at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office website.

Click here for the the full text of the Canadian Copyright Act.

The University of Toronto Library asserts copyright over the contents of our digitized special collections. Please consult the individual websites for more specific information for each digital collection.

In cases where permission to publish is required, please contact us. Permission to publish need only be sought once you can identify precisely what it is you want to publish, and once you have a commitment from a publisher. Requests should include a complete citation identifying the precise source of the material you are seeking permission to publish (call number and page number; or collection number, box and folder number). Your request should also include the author and title of the book/article being published, the name of the publisher and date of publication and details about the distribution (i.e., print run of 1000, web publication).

Reproduction Services and Pricing at the Fisher Library

More information

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