The Gallica platform, managed by the French National Library (BnF), has recently updated its conditions of use for digital content. These conditions govern the use of over digital reproductions of public domain works and other materials from the BnF's collections and partner institutions. According to the updated terms, non-commercial reuse of these contents is free, provided that the source is acknowledged.
The updated conditions specify that commercial reuse of Gallica's content requires a paid license. This includes re-selling content as part of products or services that generate revenue. Researchers are exempt from commercial fees for academic and scientific publications. Additionally, metadata from Gallica is available under the EtaLab license, allowing free use with attribution to the BnF.
Some content on Gallica is subject to specific reuse conditions. This includes documents protected by third-party copyright, which cannot be reused without prior permission from the rights holder. Similarly, documents from partner institutions have their own reuse conditions, which users are encouraged to verify. Specific restrictions apply to the commercial exploitation of sound recordings provided by certain music companies.
The use of Gallica's documents and data in artificial intelligence (AI) projects is also addressed in the updated conditions. For academic research purposes, use is free, provided that the source is acknowledged. However, other uses require authorization and a license. The BnF offers support for researchers and provides contact information for those interested in using Gallica's content in AI projects.
The conditions of use are governed by French law, and users are required to respect both these conditions and applicable legislation. Failure to comply may result in penalties, including fines. The BnF reserves the right to modify the conditions of use at any time to adapt to legislative changes or new site functionalities.
Gallica offers various services to users, including the ability to download documents, share content on social media, and access a personal space to order reproductions and bookmark documents. An API is also available for users to retrieve high-definition images.
Users interested in commercial use of Gallica's content for publication or other purposes are encouraged to contact the BnF's relevant departments for more information. The BnF provides various contact points for different types of inquiries, including reproduction requests and commercial licensing.
Key points
- Non-commercial reuse of Gallica's digital content is free with attribution.
- Commercial reuse requires a paid license.
- Specific conditions apply to AI projects and third-party copyrighted materials.
