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Ensembl name and logo policy

Policy for the use of the Ensembl name and logo

Document Version

Version 1. Approved: 30 September 2008

1. Background

Ensembl is based at the EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and develops a software system that produces and maintains automatic annotation on selected genomes. Ensembl is available to download for public use and its code is provided under an open source license. Because of this there are a number of local installations of Ensembl worldwide as well as projects that make use of customised Ensembl code as part of a larger project.

This document presents a general policy regarding the use of the Ensembl name and logo (see part 3 below) alone and in conjunction with projects that use Ensembl code. Display and use of the EMBL-EBI logo is governed by the institute's terms of use.

The Ensembl name and logo are the property of the Wellcome Trust and are protected by international copyright. For all proposed uses of the Ensembl logo, including those referred to below, permission should be sought in advance by writing to Ensembl. Permission must be sought for any commercial use.

Additional information in an accompanying policy document titled: Policy for Ensembl mirrors may also be useful. All enquires about the Ensembl project should be addressed to our Helpdesk.

2. General Policy

Ensembl’s general policy is to permit the use the Ensembl logo in the context of activities associated with use of the Ensembl code, but not in any manner that suggests or implies that the Ensembl project or the EMBL-EBI has endorsed or approved of the activities, products, and/or services of the organization, or that Ensembl is the source of any such activities, products, and/or services. For example, the official Ensembl logo may be copied and used on external websites for purposes such as to identify official collaborations with Ensembl or to link to either the main Ensembl website (www.ensembl.org) or an Ensembl mirror site. The image may not be modified in any way except to reduce it in size as required.

3. The Ensembl Logo and the Powered by Ensembl Logo

The Ensembl logo
Figure 1. The Ensembl logo
Powered by Ensembl logo
Figure 2. "Powered by Ensembl" logo

Links to high-resolution images

4. Use of the Name and Logo by Ensembl Mirrors

Ensembl grants mirror sites a limited right to use its logo. Ensembl mirrors may use the Ensembl name and logo as provided as part of the default Ensembl webcode installation. This policy applies to both unsupported and official, supported mirrors. Additional details about Ensembl mirror sites are in the accompanying policy document referenced above.

5. Use of the "Powered by Ensembl" Logo

Ensembl Developers are encouraged to use the Ensembl code for any purpose. Those developers wishing to acknowledge this contribution should use the Powered by Ensembl logo (see above), which incorporates the Ensembl logo. A citation of relevant Ensembl publications related to the tools would be appropriate.

Developers using the empowered logo should contact the Ensembl helpdesk and their projects may be added to our list of tools and sites using Ensembl technology. The current project list and a link to download the Powered by Ensembl logo may be found at http://www.ensembl.org/info/about/ensembl_powered.html.

Before contacting Ensembl to be added to the list of Ensembl-derived projects the Powered by Ensembl logo should be visible on the relevant site. Inclusion of any project on the Ensembl maintained list of derived projects is not intended as an endorsement of the site or its content.