It’s been several months since RightsStatements.org transitioned to become part of Digital Scholar, and we wanted to take a moment to update the community on what the Interim Steering Committee has been working on since then — and what’s still ahead.

Progress on the Ground

Translation work is underway. We’re actively developing a Greek translation of the statements, adding to the growing list of languages in which the RightsStatements.org vocabulary is available. This work reflects our ongoing commitment to making rights statements accessible to cultural heritage institutions and their users worldwide, regardless of language.

The website now features a language switcher, allowing users to view RightsStatements.org and its statements in the 14 available languages. This long-requested feature lays the groundwork for future translation updates.

Building the Governance Foundation

The Steering Committee has focused much of its recent efforts on drafting bylaws to establish a new governance structure for RightsStatements.org under Digital Scholar’s fiscal sponsorship.

This work is guided by a number of key priorities:

  • Equitable representation. We are evaluating governance models that ensure broad, representative participation from the diverse community of institutions and practitioners who use and contribute to the statements.
  • Fiscal sustainability. As part of Digital Scholar’s fiscal sponsorship, we are working to ensure RightsStatements.org has a stable and sustainable financial foundation for the long term.
  • Global reach. Because the statements are used internationally, maintaining global participation and accessibility is central to our governance model.

Why Governance First

We know there’s community interest in updates to the statements themselves, and we hear that. However, we seek to be transparent and believe that before we can effectively take on substantive updates to the statements, we need governance re-established. A clear, representative decision-making structure assures that any future changes to the statements are made thoughtfully, with the right voices at the table, and with a process the community can trust. That’s the work happening right now, and it’s the necessary groundwork for everything that will follow.

We Want to Hear From You

The value of the statements lies in their use, and we welcome your stories. How does your organization use RightsStatements.org? Whether for rights and reuse workflows, integration with digital collections platforms, or unique institutional applications, we invite your input.

Please send your impact stories and use cases to [email protected]. We may feature selected stories in future updates to highlight the community’s real-world impact.

Thank you for your sustained patience and engagement as we build a stronger foundation for RightsStatements.org’s future.