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Rutgers Art Library (RAL)- New Brunswick

Finding Images

Just because you find an image on the Internet does not mean you have legal permission to use it in assignments or presentations. To find out whether you can use an image or not, look for usage guidelines on the site itself. And check out these resources on copyright as it relates to images. Or visit the Finding Images Guide to learn more.

 

Visual Resource Association's Statement on Fair Use:  This statement describes six uses of copyrighted still images that the VRA believes fall within the U.S. doctrine of fair use. The six uses are: 1) preservation (storing images for repeated use in a teaching context and transferring images to new formats); 2) use of images for teaching purposes; 3) use of images (both large, high-resolution images and thumbnails) on course websites and in other online study materials; 4) adaptations of images for teaching and classroom work by students; 5) sharing images among educational and cultural institutions to facilitate teaching and study; and 6) reproduction of images in theses and dissertations. This statment was written by VRA's Intellectual Property Rights Committee with the guidance of a Legal Advisory Committee of preeminent copyright scholars and legal experts.

 

*For more information on searching for a diverse range of images visit the Finding Images Research Libguide

Google Images

Google Art Project enables you to "explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces." Find images to refer to and examine during your personal research, but do not include them in papers or presentations.

You can use the "Create an Artwork Collection" feature to save specific views artworks and create a personalised collection to use for your reference. You can add comment to each painting and share your collection with others.

HOWEVER, remember that these images are copyrighted! According to the site, "The high resolution imagery of artworks featured on the art project site are owned by the museums, and these images are protected by copyright laws around the world. The Street View imagery is owned by Google. All of the imagery on this site is provided for the sole purpose of enabling you to use and enjoy the benefit of the art project site, in the manner permitted by Google’s Terms of Service."

Can I use that Picture?