The form is intended to be sufficiently generic to be used for several purposes by any repositories. Nevertheless, any repository should review the policies implied in the form and make modifications as appropriate. This policy is based on the assumption that the intense light and heat of photocopiers can damage photographs. However, the nature of some repositories' holdings may make this concern irrelevant. Rental of photographs is fairly standard among picture agencies, but it requires work to track returns.
Many repositories sell copy photographs outright.
Beyond fees to recover the cost of copy photography, most repositories charge a fee for the commercial use of images. Use fees are generally waived or discounted for non-profit organizations. A survey of fees charged by repositories around the United States found no consistency due to the wide variance in how those fees were structured. The group was concerned about developing a fee structure that was equitable. The group felt it was inappropriate to charge Time magazine and the local chess club the same fee for using an image on the cover of their publication.