NLI Know-How

The law protects works of all kinds under copyright — textual, visual, musical, and others — and therefore limits the ability to make them accessible. This section presents the principles of copyright law, the rules for calculating the term of protection — when a work enters the public domain, and approaches to lawful and responsible archival practice.

An open and access-oriented approach to archival materials may infringe on the privacy of those involved. This section presents legal requirements, the necessary balance between accessibility and privacy, and the policies and tools developed at the National Library for identifying, marking, and managing risks in sensitive materials. It is intended to help any archive develop a responsible privacy policy tailored to the types of materials it holds and the nature of its activities.

To ensure that archival materials are preserved over time and remain available for years and generations to come, it is important to prevent damage in advance. This section presents potential risks to archival materials — environmental risks such as humidity, temperature, and uncontrolled lighting; biological risks such as mold, insects, and rodents; and human risks such as improper handling, incomplete procedures, or lack of regular maintenance — along with recommended methods for prevention, maintenance, and ongoing care of cultural assets.

The National Library’s open-access vision seeks to enable free and broad access to archival materials. To achieve this, cataloging and digitization processes are required to organize materials in preparation for public access. “Access-oriented cataloging” is a professional process aimed at enabling the sharing, discovery, and reuse of archival information. This section presents the principles of accessible archival cataloging, guidelines for recording and sharing information in accordance with international standards and using a variety of cataloging tools, as well as professional, legal, and operational considerations that must be addressed in advance to ensure a responsible, effective, and sustainable process.

This section provides tools and guidelines to help professionals, including those without Hebrew knowledge, catalog and provide access to materials in Hebrew script.