Resource Library: Submitting Materials

 

 

The big picture

Traditional Fine Arts Organization (TFAO), Resource Library's publisher, seeks to ultimately have placed online -- where feasible -- all films, audio recordings and paper-printed texts relating to American representational art. A proximate goal of TFAO is to place on its site all available paper-printed texts within its field of interest that are not otherwise freely available on other sites through the efforts of other nonprofit or commercial organizations. In its site's unique content pages, cross references and links are made to exhibition catalogues, articles, online videos, DVD and VHS videos, online audio, illustrated audio, and other compilations for further study.

Through its publication Resource Library, TFAO offers a complimentary digitizing and online publishing service to copyright holders of paper-printed texts. Resource Library's pages on scholarly texts from institutions and scholarly text from private sources describe its benefits to both the public and its sources of content. Resource Library does not charge authors to publish texts and offers the texts for online reading free of charge. The texts may be "in copyright" or with expired copyrights and may be "in print" or out-of-print. Resource Library secures permission from copyright holders prior to digitizing and publishing their texts online. Resource Library also publishes publicity materials from institutional sources.

TFAO's special projects initiative and conversion of analog text to digital files and online publication of scholarly texts grant program describe other essay discovery, permissions and processing programs in addition to the ongoing services of Resource Library. Other current grant programs for museums include video and audio initiatives and transcription of podcast files to text and online publication. TFAO seeks to discover and share with institutions further avenues for digitizing information and services.

 

Should I submit materials?

TFAO maintains a Calendar Update Schedule (see A-C D-G H-L M-Q R-S T-Z) listing institutional sources from which it methodically requests publicity and scholarly texts relating to exhibits of American representational art. For more information on methodology of TFAO's request system please see National Calendar of Exhibitions.

Resource Library receives emails on many topics other than exhibitions from institutional and other sources. This email volume limits time available to focus on exhibition materials. Because of TFAO's method of learning about upcoming and current exhibits, we request that institutions please remove tfaoi.org from general media mailing lists.

 

Text

Resource Library invites its sources to submit for publication:

Resource Library does not publish publicity articles for:

Resource Library selectively publishes publicity articles concerning retrospective exhibitions of artist organizations' individual members at museums or art centers. Artist organizations include cooperatives, clubs and other membership societies.

Please submit a minimum of 600 words covering the topic of the submission, excluding "boilerplate" text describing the source's address, hours of operation, fees, etc.

Resource Library usually publishes articles and essays within one month of receipt.

Two methods of submission of texts for publication are acceptable:

first preference: Send essays and articles by email either utilizing a Word [.doc] attachment or by use of the "copy and paste" method in the e-mail message to:
 
 
Microsoft Corp. has recently issued Office 2007 software for Windows users. It contains a new file format for Word documents. TFAO is a Mac user. Mac Office users will have to wait for Microsoft to release converters that will allow their version of Office to read the new file formats. Therefore, please continue to send Word documents as .doc files.
 
Please do not send zip files. Also please do not send .pdf files of news releases or related texts. If you wish a .pdf of a gallery guide or exhibition brochure attached to an article, that is an exception.
 
second preference: Send texts in a CD utilizing a Word [.doc] files by US mail to TFAO, 90 Via Regalo, San Clemente, CA 92673.
 
All texts and images for publication must be submitted by email or CD.

If you are submitting an article or an essay for publication by a named writer, in an accompanying note please acknowledge that you or your institution own the copyright to the article or essay or represent the owner and that you grant permission for Resource Library to publish or reprint the article or essay. We will place your specific copyright notice at your request at the beginning and/or end of the article or essay. Permitted publishing or reprinting will be made only in Resource Library and will not be repurposed. For further information on the relationships between Resource Library, Traditional Fine Arts Organization and third party copyright holders, please see the Acquisition and deselection of content section of The TFAO Digital Library.

Resource Library welcomes museums to send complimentary copies of catalogues for review to TFAO, 90 Via Regalo, San Clemente, CA 92673.

Resource Library underscores to its readers their responsibility under US law to respect copyrights in its User Agreement. Traditional Fine Arts Organization also covers copyright infringement along with plagiarism abuse in a General Resources page within a section on its web site titled Resources for Collectors, Life Long Learners, Students and Teachers of Art History.

Resource Library does not charge for publication of texts. Conversely, no payment is made to authors and/or other copyright owners for published texts. Choice of content is not influenced by gifts or sponsorships. Also, this publication does not accept advertising.

Before sending texts for publication please read:

 

Images

Resource Library welcomes:

Resource Library suggests submitting one image, with accompanying caption, per 200 words of text for publicity articles. Images are welcomed in two media:

Resource Library is unable to open e-mail "zipped" or "stuffed" .jpg images placed inside a document. Please do not send 35mm slides, 4x5 or 8x10 inch transparencies.

This publication prefers low resolution .jpg images at 72 dpi, range of 200-450 pixels wide with average of 300-450 pixels wide for landscape orientation, and average of 200-350 pixels wide for portrait orientation. .jpg images should be RGB color and saved at 3 or 4 (medium) on Photoshop's 1-10 index of image quality options in the "Options" dialog box, so that file sizes are under 25K.

Art images are stored and published as limited pixel width and height, low resolution, compressed jpg images in Resource Library to speed download times and, for the benefit of sources, to render images that are arguably safer from illicit uses than high resolution electronic or paper printing.

Resource Library prefers that .jpg, .gif and .tiff images be sent by email. When sending images by email, please paste the caption and credits text for each image into the email message. Please see Resource Library's Content Presentation Guidelines regarding captions.

 

Use of SASE

When sending images or books by US mail, please include a SASE if you wish source material to be returned to you.

Resource Library believes that appreciation of art is best achieved through viewing of original artworks and encourages readers to view first-hand the art referenced in this publication. Resource Library further encourages readers to purchase from institutions and other channels of distribution referenced exhibition catalogues.

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Copyright 2008 Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc., an Arizona nonprofit corporation. All rights reserved.