[Upd-discuss] Disputed Practices of Classical Memory Institutions

[Andrius Kulikauskas]

Andras Galambosi,

Thank you for raising very pointed questions with your paper (which I 
share below) for our COMMUNIA workshop Ethical Public Domain: Debate of 
Questionable Practices in Vilnius, Lithuania on Monday, March 31, 2008 
http://www.ethicalpublicdomain.org This is a great contribution to our 
discussion and debate. I note that we will have live streaming of the 
event at http://www.internettv.lt and also our chat room 
http://www.worknets.org/chat/ for online participants.

When are you coming to Vilnius? My father Edmundas Kulikauskas is active 
in the movement to rebuild our Royal Palace. Similar questions arise 
with the use of the palace, whether it should serve primarily as a 
museum or as a civic center (currently, the emphasis is on a museum, but 
I personally hope and expect that one day that will change). If you are 
here on Sunday, then I will try to arrange a tour. Also, I will inquire 
if we might find an expert to debate with, although that may not be too 
likely, but you have provided us an excellent basis for discussion. 
Thank you!

Andrius Kulikauskas, Minciu Sodas, http://www.ms.lt, ms@ms.lt, +370 699 
30003


*
Orphan Works going Private? Lack of Freedom of Information? Disputed 
Practices of Classical Memory Institutions *

To be debated at Communia WS II., Vilnius, Lithuania

By Andras GALAMBOSI, Hungary

/(the paper is written in a provocative manner on purpose)/



*1. Focus*

The term „classical memory institutions” represents the tax-payer 
financed deposits, repositories of cultural heritage, i.e. libraries, 
museums, archives, public collections, etc. The focus of this paper is 
on the generally experiencable practice of these insitutions, the 
lock-away mentality, the insiders’ 
wink-wink-keep-it-all-in-stick-together practice.


*2. Experiences*

Some parts of the collections are not accessible to the public. Some 
parts are accessible for a limited audience. Some parts are accessible 
seasonally. Any piece of cultural heritage is accessible only for 
limited purposes. You are not allowed to take pictures inside a museum – 
unless you buy a photo ticket. One is permitted to learn only selected 
slices of culture. Public collections usually publish parts of their 
collection. Libraries even produce reprints. Archives create CDs, DVDs 
containing interesting parts of their deposits. Public collections 
generally do not let commercial use, or reuse of information they collect.


*3. Statements*

Culture is what we are living in. Those pieces of information, which are 
never used, are practically non-existent – the never known culture. 
Locked away culture is not for the benefit of the public. Institutions, 
which are given 100% funding, should operate 100% transparent. 
Information gathered, administered, categorized in these institutions 
must serve the public, must be open and accessible to the public. Great 
amount of items in these collections has nothing to do with the 
copyright, so there should be no barrier to reusing or distributing them.


*4. Collision*

Institutions often create copyrights on the material which is collected 
by them. It is not permitted to publish a book forgotten long ago - 
without the permission of the copy holder i.e. the national library. No 
one is allowed to publish a photo of a certain painting - without the 
permission of the gallery. The institutions are not able to exploit all 
the possibilities of the content, of the information they hold. Instead 
of opening it to the public, they generally close it, limiting the usage.


*5. Step forward?*

Understanding the necessity of guarding unical artefacts, paintings, 
books, etc., public collections should find a good balance turning to 
and really serving the public - while limiting access to (or even 
locking away) small portions of their collections. They may have their 
inner drives, own purposes regarding to certain collections, but the 
focus of their activities should originate from the needs of the 
community around.