LibGuides: Guide to Academic Use of Audio, Images, and Video: Images

Can copyrighted images be used for academic purposes?

Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts

YES

Images (even copyrighted ones) can generally be used for educational use under the "Fair Use" provision of U.S. Copyright Law. Scenarios like: writing about art, creating exhibits, creating art, and teaching about art fall into these categories. The College Art Association has published a document regarding "Best Practices" to help guide students and faculty regarding the appropriate use of visual materials.

Image Resources

Flickr - Creative Commons Images
Millions of photos made available copyright-free by Flickr users.
Pixabay
Pixabay is a vibrant community of creatives, sharing copyright free images and videos. All contents are released under the Pixabay License, which makes them safe to use without asking for permission or giving credit to the artist - even for commercial purposes (Pixabay).
Pexels
Royalty free images & videos shared by creators.
Google Image Search
Allows you to search the web for images and you can use the "usage rights" drop-down box to locate images that are free to use without obtaining permission.

ArtStor (on JSTOR) This link opens in a new window
Provides over 1.6 million digital images with new image collections added several times a year. It covers many time periods and subjects including architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, design, anthropology, ethnographic and women's studies, as well as many other forms of visual culture.

Public Domain Images

Public Domain images are no longer covered by copyright and can be used freely without obtaining permission. Listed below are a sample of some of the places online where you can obtain Public Domain images.

WWII Poster Collection
A collection of over 300 posters issued by U.S. federal agencies during World War II. All posters are in the public domain.
Internet Archive
A large collection of videos, images, music, and text. Note: Not all content is in the public domain. Check rights statements for collections or individual works before use.
NASA Multimedia Repository
Video and images from NASA in the public domain unless otherwise noted.
National Archives
Images and documents from the National Archives. In the public domain unless otherwise noted.

University Library

Guide to Academic Use of Audio, Images, and Video

Can copyrighted images be used for academic purposes?

Image Resources

Public Domain Images