Frequently Asked Questions

Why was this grant significant?

Scholarly publications in art history are dependent on high-quality images, but securing image permissions can be a daunting, expensive, and time-consuming task. In addition, at the time the initiative was launched, few art history publications were available in digital form, due in part to the challenge of obtaining permissions for the digital use of images. As a result, the field was at risk of being left behind as scholarship increasingly moved online. The grant provided assistance in securing permissions so the books in the initiative could be published as ebooks, ensuring that they would be widely available through digital library services and could be downloaded on ebook readers. Beyond that, the initiative helped change the policies of rights holders regarding digital use, to facilitate the digital publication of future books in art history.

How many books did the grant fund?

AHPI supported the publication of fifty-four books over nine years, including at least twelve books from each of the four participating presses.

How did the presses work collaboratively?

The presses worked together on strategies to secure permissions for digital use. They contributed to a final white paper, authored by Duke University Press director Steve Cohn, on the evolution of rights and permissions relevant to art history publications over the course of the initiative. They shared notes on ebook formats for complex, highly illustrated books. They also developed a shared marketing program with ads in major publications, including the New York Review of Books, Artforum, Art Documentation, and Art Journal.

What can be found on the AHPI website?

The website provides information about the books in the initiative. In some cases, it also includes sample chapters and materials related to the books, such as videos, author interviews, podcasts, and illustrations that could not be included in the publications themselves. The website also includes a section on rights and permissions featuring the white paper mentioned above along with several short posts on rights-related issues.

Some of these materials may soon be available on Fulcrum as well.