Book Arts: Images

Please feel free to get in touch with a librarian at any stage of your research process. Stop by the library (located on the third floor of the B side of the Fenway building), or get in touch directly with:

Ashley Peterson

• apeterson@smfa.edu
• 617-369-3653

Darin Murphy

• dmurphy@smfa.edu
• 617-369-3651

Circulation Desk (evening and weekend contact)

• library@smfa.edu
• 617-369-3650

Do you know about Google Advanced Image Search? Give it a try! It's a great way to harness the power of the regular Google Image Search toward delivering quality, trustworthy results. Some tips:

• In the "image size" menu, select a larger option to help ensure image quality.
• In the "site or domain" field, enter .edu and/or .org. This will limit your search to sites (from museums, universities, etc.) that are more likely to include complete and accurate information with image files.
• Try filtering your search by "usage rights." In most cases, using images for scholarly work (papers, presentations) is protected by Fair Use, but incorporating images into the output of your artistic practice is a thornier issue. Knowing the licensing information for images you use is a smart way to work. 

Xu Bing, Tobacco Project: Red Book, 2000
via the Reed College Artists' Book Collection

L'Offrande Lyrique, 1925
via the Walters' Manuscripts and Rare Books collection  

David Stairs, Boundless, 1990
via the MassArt Artists' Book Image Gallery