Help

How to…

upload an image >>
submit an article >>
search the database >>
use the Notebooks >>
update “unknown” tags >>
update incorrect information and tags >>

How to…

update your account information >>
change your password >>

About Copyright…

“fair use” and copyright >>
creative commons licenses >>
how to set your image licenses >>

Please send any additional questions or concerns to:
info@historictype.com

 

How to upload an image

To contribute an image, you’ll need to create an account. Your information is not for sale. Registering is necessary to prevent spammers.

1. In the Submit Images section of our site, you’ll be asked to browse for and select the image you want to upload.

We prefer files 1600 x 1200 or larger. Smaller images will be accepted, but higher resolution images allow researchers to zoom in and view the details of form and materials.

Please upload RGB, JPG files only.

2. Next you’ll be asked to tell us about the letters and type, identifying the location and time period of the sign, as well as type style, materials and methods, and purpose of the sign. (If you’d like, you can download a PDF of the online submission form to see what information is requested.)

3. You’ll be asked to transcribe the sign and add anything else you’d like others to know about this sign/lettering.

4. You’ll be asked to set a license for the image and to submit the image to the database.

 

How to submit an article

As of August, 2008 we are not officially soliciting articles. Therefore, we do not have a policy in place yet. However, if you are already writing on an appropriate topic and would like to submit an article for consideration, please send an email to submissions@historictype.com, and attach the following documents:
• A Word document containing a 250 word summary, the article, and a 100 word biography
• Up to 5 images (jpeg format) to accompany the article

 

HistoricType is still in production. The search function will be up by September 1.

At that time, we will offer three different search options:
• For a general search, enter your keyword(s) into the search box in the top right corner and click “Search.”
• For a more specific search, click on “Advanced Search” just below the search box. The Advanced Search allows you to search by specific words/phrases, and time items were added to the database.
• Both the Advanced Search and “Search by Category” searches allow you to choose from a laundry list of specific categories, such as location, time period, materials, and type style.

 

How to use the Notebooks

HistoricType is still in production. Notebooks will be available by September 1. Detailed instructions will be posted at that time.

 

How to update “unknown” tags

HistoricType is still in production. The ability to update “unknown” tags will be available by September 1. Detailed instructions will be posted at that time.

 

How to update incorrect information and tags

HistoricType is still in production. The ability to update incorrect information and tags will be available by September 1. Detailed instructions will be posted at that time.

 

How to update your account information

HistoricType is still in production. Detailed instructions will be posted shortly.

 

How to change your password

HistoricType is still in production. Detailed instructions will be posted shortly.

 

Following the doctrine of “fair use” under the copyright act, which considers criticism, comment, teaching, scholarship, and research all purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered “fair”, images and texts on historictype.com are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study.

Thus, under copyright law (title 17, U.S. Code), scholars may reproduce (print, make photocopies, or download) materials from this web site without prior permission--only for the purposes of private study, scholarship, or research--on the condition that they provide proper attribution of the source in all copies.

Beyond “fair use,” photo submissions can be assigned a Creative Commons licensing agreement. All contributors can choose their own copyright policy when uploading their images. A “some rights reserved” license allows others (including presenters) to use images for non-commercial purposes as long as they attribute the image to the contributor. An image marked as “all rights reserved,” is not to be reproduced or used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research without permission. If a reproduction of an “all rights reserved” image is used for purposes in excess of "fair use," the user may be liable for copyright infringement, which has a penalty of up to 1 year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

 

Creative Commons licenses

(Excerpted from creativecommons.org)

Offering your work under a Creative Commons license does not mean giving up your copyright. It means offering some of your rights to any member of the public but only on certain conditions.

All of [Creative Commons’] licenses require that you give attribution in the manner specified by the author or licensor.

Attribution

You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work — and derivative works based upon it — but only if they give credit the way you request.

[Creative Commons’] core licensing suite will also let you mix and match conditions from the list of options below. There are a total of six Creative Commons licenses to choose from [the] core licensing suite.

Noncommercial.

You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work — and derivative works based upon it — but for noncommercial purposes only

No Derivative Works.

You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work, not derivative works based upon it.

Share Alike.

You allow others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.

More examples are available on their examples page. Also note that every license carries with it a full set of other rights in addition to the allowances specifically made here.

Using a License

[HistoricType will place a Creative Commons “Some Rights Reserved” link near your work.] This button will link back to the Commons Deed, so that the world can be notified of the license terms. If you find that your license is being violated, you may have grounds to sue under copyright infringement.

 

How to set your image licenses

When you submit an image to HistoricType.com, the final step is to choose your license. We have provided a drop-down menu of the available licenses from Creative Commons. In addition, you can choose to retain all rights, and select “All Rights Reserved.”

Licenses are set individually for each image, and will be displayed with the image on the site. Anyone viewing your image in the context of our site will be provided with the copyright information (e.g. “all rights reserved” or “some rights reserved”) for that image. If you choose a “some rights reserved” option, a link will be provided to the Commons Deed, so viewers will be notified of the license terms.

 

An image database and journal dedicated to documenting and contextualizing letters and type on historic signs, broadsides, and buildings -- exploring their role in history, design, and society.

FAQs & Help!

About Copyright

If I upload my images, who owns them?
What is your copyright policy?
What if I don’t want others to have access to my images?
How can I use images I find on HistoricType?
How do I cite images or texts from HistoricType?

About the Image Database

Why create another database when there’s Flickr?
What can and can’t be uploaded?
How do I contribute an image?
You ask for a lot of information about images… what if I don’t know all the information about an image I want to upload?
What if I see incorrect information attributed to someone else’s image?
Why do you ask us to transcribe the signs?

About the Journal

When will the Journal start publishing?
What kind of article would be appropriate to submit?
What is your editorial policy and process?
I’ve never published an article before, can I submit one anyway?
How do I submit an article?

 

About Copyright

If I upload my images, who owns them?

You do. Images uploaded to historictype.com remain the property of the artist or organization who owns the image. HistoricType.com does not hold any copyright on the images uploaded. Think of us as an online searchable gallery. We house and contextualize the images, but do not own them.

 

What is your copyright policy?

Following the doctrine of “fair use” under the copyright act, all images and texts on historictype.com are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Thus, under copyright law (chapter 1, section 107), scholars may reproduce (print, make photocopies, or download) materials from this web site without prior permission--only for the purposes of private study, scholarship, or research--on the condition that they provide proper attribution of the source in all copies.

Beyond “Fair Use”
For images, we use Creative Commons licensing agreements. All contributors can choose their own copyright policy when uploading their images. We highly recommend choosing a licensing agreement that allows others to use your image for non-commercial use, since we are dedicated to providing an educational resource. Choosing a “some rights reserved” license would allow others (including presenters) to use your images for non-commercial purposes as long as they attribute the image to the contributor. You do, however, have the right to choose the “all rights reserved” option when uploading your images.

If an image is marked as “all rights reserved,” reproductions are not to be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research. If a reproduction of an “all rights reserved” image is used for purposes in excess of "fair use," the user may be liable for copyright infringement, which has a penalty of up to 1 year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Copyright for articles published on HistoricType.com is retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to HistoricType.com. All journal content, except where otherwise noted, will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeriv 2.5 License. Articles in our open-access journal are free to use, with proper attribution, in educational and other non-commercial settings.

 

What if I don’t want others to have access to my images?

For better or worse, historictype.com has an open-access image database. Images can be copied and shared. If you don’t want others to have access to your images, you have a couple of choices.

You might consider uploading only smaller versions of your images, so they are not suitable for print. Please note: we prefer high-resolution versions of images so students and researchers can “zoom in” on lettering and see the details of forms and materials.

You might consider adding a “watermark” to any images you submit to our database. If possible, please watermark images so details of forms and materials are still available for students and researchers to see.

Finally, you might decide not to contribute to historictype.com.

 

How can I use images I find on HistoricType?

That depends on the image and the copyright license chosen by the contributor.

Some contributors choose to mark their images “all rights reserved.” Others choose to use a Creative Commons “some rights reserved” license, thereby allowing for an image to be used for non-commercial purposes… as long as specific guidelines are followed. We ask that all visitors respect the copyright decisions of all contributors.

Regardless of the copyright license associated with an image, all images are available for study: in order to better understand forms, materials, and methods of creating lettering and type for signs, as well as the cultural context of these forms, materials, and methods.

Following the doctrine of “fair use” under the copyright act, all images and texts on historictype.com have been made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Thus, you may reproduce (print, make photocopies, or download) materials from this web site without prior permission--only for the purposes of private study, scholarship, or research--on the condition that you provide proper attribution of the source in all copies.

If an image is marked as “all rights reserved,” reproductions are not to be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research. If a reproduction of an “all rights reserved” image is used for purposes in excess of "fair use," the user may be liable for copyright infringement, which has a penalty of up to 1 year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Plus, it’s just plain rude.

 

How do I cite images or texts from HistoricType.com?

When using images from HistoricType.com, please acknowledge your source by clearly stating the name of the contributor, the name of our website, and the URL of the image. Example:

Image by Jane Doe
HistoricType.com
www.historictype.com/100_abc.suffix

When using texts from the HistoricType.com Journal, please acknowledge your source by clearly stating the name of the author, the date the article was published, the name of our Journal, the date the article was retrieved, and the URL for the article.
A citation example following the APA Style:

Doe, J. (200X, October 1). Title of Article. HistoricType.com Journal. Retrieved February 1, 200X, from http://historictype.com/journal/xyz.html.

 

About the Image Database

Why create another database when there’s Flickr?
The Content.
HistoricType.com is dedicated to contextualizing lettering and type on historic signs, broadsides, and buildings. We draw on the passion and expertise of our community to place the lettering and type in the context of time and place. Our image database will be woven together with essays, interviews, memoirs, critiques, book reviews, etc., on related topics: materials, methods, cultural significance, type history, letterform design, advertising, historical context, preservation, and architecture.

 

The Archive.

Our database is a systematic approach to preserving digital images of type on historic signs, broadsides, and buildings. While individual museums, preservation societies, artists, typographers, photographers, architects, and signage enthusiasts may have their own collections of images, no comprehensive project or resource for documenting the lettering and type on historic signs, broadsides, and buildings exists.

 

What images can and can’t be uploaded?

At HistoricType.com, our goal is to document and contextualize letters and type on historic signs, broadsides, and buildings. Images that help us meet this goal are always welcome. Please do not upload images that do not meet the objectives of the site. Off-topic or inappropriate imagery will be removed.

In addition, please do not upload images that do not belong to you. By uploading an image you are claiming ownership (as an individual or an organization) of the image.

Image Size: we prefer files 1600 x 1200 or larger. Smaller images will be accepted, but higher resolution images allow researchers to zoom in and view the details of form and materials.

File Format: please upload RGB, JPG files only.

 

How do I contribute an image?

To contribute an image, you’ll need to create an account. Your information is not for sale. Registering is necessary to prevent spammers.

1. In the Submit Images section of our site, you’ll be asked to browse for and select the image you want to upload.

We prefer files 1600 x 1200 or larger. Smaller images will be accepted, but higher resolution images allow researchers to zoom in and view the details of form and materials.

Please upload RGB, JPG files only.

2. Next you’ll be asked to tell us about the letters and type, identifying the location and time period of the sign, as well as type style, materials and methods, and purpose of the sign. (Download a PDF of the online submission form to see what information is requested.)

3. You’ll be asked to transcribe the sign and add anything else you’d like others to know about this sign/lettering.

4. You’ll be asked to set a license for the image and to submit the image to the database.

 

You ask for a lot of information about images… what if I don’t know all the information about an image I want to upload?

That’s OK. The only required information is the country the sign resides (or resided) in, and a transcription of the sign.

For all other information, we provide you with the option to select “unknown.” Others who are familiar with the history and materials associated with lettering and type on signs, broadsides, and buildings can update “unknown” tags.

 

What if I see incorrect information attributed to an image?

HistoricType is still in production. Detailed instructions will be posted by September 1.

 

Why do you ask us to transcribe the signs?

When you transcribe a sign, the text is entered into our database. If a person using the site wants to research a specific company, product, or category of products, they will be able to use their research topic as a search term.

 

About the Journal

When will the Journal start publishing?
We hope to officially start soliciting articles in Fall 2008, and start publishing by the new year. In the meantime, you may submit an article as an email attachment.

What kind of article would be appropriate to submit?

At HistoricType.com, our goal is to document and contextualize letters and type on historic signs, broadsides, and buildings. Submissions that help us meet this goal are always welcome.

Appropriate articles to submit are original essays, interviews, memoirs, critiques, book reviews, etc., on topics related to lettering and type from historic signs, broadsides, and buildings. Topics may include, but are not limited to: materials, methods, cultural significance, type history, letterform design, advertising, historical context, preservation, and architecture.

If you would like to submit a previously published article for our Journal, please indicate where and when the article was previously published, and confirm you have permission to re-publish it in our Journal.

 

What is your editorial policy and process?

All appropriate articles will be considered and reviewed by an editor. Articles will either be published or returned to the author with comments. Resubmissions are welcome.

More information will be posted regarding our policy and process when we officially begin soliciting submissions.

 

I’ve never published an article before, can I submit one anyway?

YES! Through the journal, we hope to encourage the development of new voices in the field. All submissions will be reviewed by an editor and either published or returned with comments. Resubmissions are welcome.

When the Journal is officially soliciting article submissions, we will provide resources for new writers, as well as a check-list for preparing your article for publication. If you are a new writer, and interested in this topic, please check back with us in Fall 2008.

 

How do I submit an article?

As of August, 2008 we are not officially soliciting articles. Therefore, we do not have a policy in place yet. However, if you are already writing on an appropriate topic and would like to submit an article for consideration, please send an email to submissions@historictype.com, and attach the following documents:
• A Word document containing a 250 word summary, the article, and a 100 word biography
• Up to 5 images (jpeg format) to accompany the article