Library News Blog

Pictures for Courses & Presentations

Pictures can make a presentation or course come alive.  So how can you find pictures that are copyright-safe and freely available?  One strategy is to use public domain or creative commons pictures.

Colorful Pencils Arranged in a Circle

Artistic, Bright, Color, Colored, Colorful, Colors by Public Domain Images Creative Commons CC0

Public domain images are out of copyright and have no restrictions about how they can be used.  Although it is a best practice to include an citation with your image, there are no legal requirements. Popular websites for locating public domain images include the PublicDomainArchive and pixabay.

Creative commons images can be used in accordance with their creative commons license.  For example, a creator may require non-profit use or attribution.  The Creative Commons Search is your portal to creative commons licensed images on popular websites like YouTube, Flickr, Google Images, Europeana, and Jamendo.