Using Images
Use Images Judiciously
Images are great for livening up a page, breaking up text, and providing graphical cues to content. But, even though you can use images using the fair use doctrine that online apply to cases where the images are used for educational purposes. Therefore, you can't just pick any image on the web. But do not fear! There are many options of where to find public domain or Creative Commons images on the web. Check the resources in this page to find images to use in your guides.
Best Practices for Using Images in your Guides
- Images must comply with copyright law and best practices.
- Images must comply with accessibility guidelines per state law. Always add Alt-text to your images (to facilitate access to screen reader) and to allow search engines to find your content. Alt-text is used for Search Engine Optimization.
- Images should be relevant to the content and focus of your guide.
- Whenever possible, images should come from the public domain or Creative Commons.
- Organize your images! Create folders and name them by topic so they will be easy for you to find
- Save images in the Shared Images Library instead of your Personal Library so other can re-used your images (if appropriate)
- Upload images in the size you want them to display. Huge images slow down page load times.
- Upload images rather than hot-linking or embedding them. Uploading ensures your guides' stability and security.
- Set image size using percentages. This helps users who use their browser's zoom function to see your pages more distinctly.
► Use the Image Property menu 
to align images, add a border or add spaces between images and text, etc. so the images and text display properly.
For example:
◘ To wrap text around an image, select align “Left”, and assign any value from 1-10 for the options H(orizontal) Space and V(ertical) Space, to create space between the images and the text for better readability.
- Image Manager: Upload & organize images in LibGuidesThe Image Manager provides you with a central place to upload and store images, which you can then reuse throughout LibGuides and LibApps.
To upload images you can do it directly into a Rich Text Box by clicking the picture icon or opening the Image Manager under Content in the LibGuides top menu. Do not hot-link or embed images.
Upload and save any images to the Shared Library, rather than your private Personal Library. Images in the Shared Library can be reused by your colleagues, making everyone's work more efficient. Only save images to private space if you feel that they are relevant only to your specific guide. In the Shared Library, you can save an image in the ROOT (default folder) or create an specific folder by time, any other category (e.g. Buildings, Countries, etc.)
Where to Find Images for your Guides & Other Resources:
- UConn Photo DatabaseLinks to photography using MerlinOne's digital asset management system
- Fair Use & Copyright Help from UConn LibraryThis page provides information and guidance for complying with copyright law in teaching, learning, and scholarship.
- NYPL: Public Domain Collections: Free to Share & ReusePublic Domain Collections: Free to Share & Reuse from the New York Public Library. Site is no longer updated.
- Public Domain: Library of Congress (Flickr)The images in this set are believed to be in the public domain and come from the archives of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. It is the responsibility of the user, however, to verify that they are NOT covered by copyright. If you have questions, please consult the Library of Congress.
- UnsplashOver 300,000 free (do whatever you want) high-resolution photos brought to you by the world’s most generous community of photographers.
- Pexels.comThousands free stock photos high resolution photos uploaded by users or sourced from free image websites.
- Free ImagesExplore over 300,000 free stock photos
