Report: “After Uploading 28,000 Historical Images, Wikimedia Signs Deal with National Library of Israel”

From Haaretz:

Israelis will enjoy greater access to material stored in Israeli archives under an agreement signed Monday by three organizations. The signatories are Wikimedia Israel, which runs the Hebrew Wikipedia site; the Association of Israeli Archivists, which represents hundreds of archivists; and the National Library of Israel.

The agreement came two months after a well-publicized battle erupted between Wikimedia and the archivists association over the ownership of tens of thousands of historic photographs. In November, Wikimedia “broke into” the databases of several major archives and “liberated” some 28,000 pictures it said the archives were legally obligated to make accessible to the public.

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As part of Monday’s agreement, Wikimedia issued an apology.
“We regret the situation that was created due to the lack of communications between the archives and Wikimedia Israel,” it said in a statement.

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See Also: Official Statement (Hebrew to English Translation via Google Translate)

UPDATE (February 27, 2019): Wikimedia Israel Reaches Deal With Photo Archives After Feud (via Jerusalem Post)

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Associations and Organizations, Libraries, National Libraries, News