Research Guides: Find Images: Image Sources

Databases with Searchable Images

For print sources for images, search the Saint Louis Universtiy Libraries Catalog by subject using your topic with the subdivision of pictorial works. Example: United States--Pictorial Works. Or search by keywords such as illustrations, pictures, or images.

Academic Search Complete
Use the image search within Academic Search Complete to locate images, graphs, tables, and more on your topic. The Image Search is located under More on the top blue bar. Available to current SLU students, faculty, and staff.
Gale eBooks
Select Advanced Search under main search box. Then type your keyword or subject and under Limit Results check the box in front of "to document with images."Available to current SLU students, faculty, and staff.
JSTOR
This primarily archival journal resource provides access to full-text of over 1000 unique (does NOT count previous titles for same periodical) journal titles (as of June 2009). Topics include history, literature, education, ecology, and more. Limit your search to images only by going to the Advanced Search and selecting Caption from the drop-down box. Available to current SLU students, faculty, and staff.
Oxford Art Online
Type your keyword or subject in the "Search for images only" search box on the initial page of this database.Available to current SLU students, faculty, and staff.

ScienceDirect Image Search
Use the Advanced search form and Image tab to locate images in all ScienceDirect resources.
Available to current SLU students, faculty, and staff.

Science Reference Center
Some1956-present. Locate full-text, science-oriented content from hundreds of sources (periodicals, science encyclopedias, and reference books) on topics such as biology, chemistry, earth science, aviation, the environment, life sciences, mathematics, physics, technology, and wildlife. Includes an image library from Nature Picture Library....more.

Image Collections

Ad*Access
Search over 7,000 advertisements that appeared in U.S. and Canadian newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955. Ads are primarily in five areas: Radio, Television, Transportation, Beauty and Hygiene, and World War II. Since most of these are dated after 1923, most are still under copyright. Please see their Copyright and Citation page for use information.
Bing : Copyright Free Images Search
Search for copyright free images on Bing and select they type of license you will accept for the image: Public Domain; Free to share and use; Free to share and use commercially; Free to modify, share, and use; and Free to modify, share, and use commercially.
flickr
Search for images on all topics, many of which have a Creative Commons license for non-commercial use. Note information provided with the photographs on whether they can be used and if so, how they can be used. Also includes The Commons with historical photographs uploaded by museums, universities and libraries.
freeimages
This is a site for using images or uploading your own images to share. The gallery contains over 350,000 images from over 30,000 photographers. There are many interesting images here using the freeimages standard license.
Note: This site is closely associated with iStockPhoto.com, where images are not free and do not have licenses that allow free use.
Freer | Sackler: The Smithsonian's Museums of Asian Art
Digital collection of Asian art and a collection of Whistler's paintings. Freely available for non-commercial use.
Free Stock Photos
"All images on this site are completely free to download and use. No payment or registration is required, although you must abide by the Image License and Usage Terms listed on the photo download page. " (text from site 12/17/2013) This is associated with Shutterstock, a site whose artists charge for use.
Google Image Search
Use the Google Image Search to find just images.
Google Life Photo Archive
Photographs from LIFE, many never published, span the time period from the 1750s to today. Images indicate type of use allowed.
Images from the History of Medicine
The History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine provides over 60,000 images scanned from its print and photograph collections including "portraits, photographs, caricatures, genre scenes, posters, and graphic art illustrating the social and historical aspects of medicine dated from the 15th to 21st century." Provides search and browse methods to find an image on a particular topic. Use must comply with U. S. Copyright law (Title 17, United States Code).
Library of Congress Digital Images
From the Library of Congress. Includes many images, but also films, books, essays, and more.
LUNA Commons
Search or browse digital images in many collections found across the Web. Much of the content is freely available for educational use.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Over 400,000 images from the Collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art have been made available for Open Access for Scholarly Content (OASC) use. Each image that is available has an OASC in its description. Please read the Open Access for Scholarly Content Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
NYPL Digital Collections
Some images may require permission to use. However, the New York Public Library provides free and open access to over 800,000 images (updated daily) digitized from the The New York Public Library's vast collections that include illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints, photographs and more. "Some of the images in the Digital Gallery may be subject to third party rights such as copyright and/or rights of privacy/publicity. Before using any of these images please review the Library's Terms and Conditions. (text from site 12/17/2013)
Pexels
Pexels is a free stock photo and video website and app that helps designers, bloggers, and everyone who is looking for visuals to find photos and videos that can be downloaded and used for free.
Photography Archives Catalog (Smithsonian)
From the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Search by keyword, artist, or subject.
Pixabay: Free High Quality Images
Search or browse over 600,000 freely available photos, illustrations, vector graphics, and videos with the Creative Commons CC0 license.
U.S. Government Photos and Images
Search for images from the various U.S. Government Web sites. Some are in the public domain or are U.S. Government works that may be freely used. However, some images may not qualify under these terms. For questions regarding a particular image, please contact the agency website on which you found the image.
UNESCO's PHOTOBANK
A collection of images dating back to 1946 related to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's areas of interest in education, science, culture, and communications. Search by area of the world, country, theme, subtheme, year, and more. You may submit requests to use selected images by adding them to your Basket. Price is not given.
Unsplash
Over 1 million free high-resolution images brought to you by a community of photographers.
Wikimedia Commons
A database of almost 20,000,000 free media files. To learn about the license under which each media file or image is made available, click on the file or image on Wikimedia Commons and you will go to the page with information supplied by the up-loader for that media file or image, including the copyright status, the copyright owner, and the license conditions.