The Newberry Library in Chicago has announced a major revision to its policy regarding the re-use of collection images: "images derived from collection items are now available to anyone for any lawful purpose, whether commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library." (Note, however, that "users remain responsible for determining whether material is in the public domain, whether it is protected by copyright law or other restrictions, or whether a particular activity constitutes fair use.")
This news should encourage researchers to explore the 1.7 million high-resolution Newberry images currently available online. One place to start is the digital exhibit, "CB&Q: Building an Empire." Additional CB&Q materials are available at the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) site, where one will find "Daily Life along the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy Railroad," based on materials from the Newberry. Even more images can be found by searching the whole CARLI collection by topic--for example, "Technology and Industry."
This news should encourage researchers to explore the 1.7 million high-resolution Newberry images currently available online. One place to start is the digital exhibit, "CB&Q: Building an Empire." Additional CB&Q materials are available at the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) site, where one will find "Daily Life along the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy Railroad," based on materials from the Newberry. Even more images can be found by searching the whole CARLI collection by topic--for example, "Technology and Industry."