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Eastern Michigan University Halle Library

Finding & Using Images

This guide helps EMU faculty and students find, use, and cite images by highlighting key image sources and providing guidance on copyright, licensing, and attribution.

For Faculty - Teaching and Scholarship

Images can enrich both classroom teaching and scholarly publications, but it’s important to use them appropriately.

Teaching

  • You may use images from the public domain and those with Creative Commons licenses freely in your courses, as long as you follow the license terms.
     
  • Under fair use, it is often permissible to use copyrighted images in a closed, password-protected course management system such as Canvas, provided they are used for educational purposes.
     
  • Always provide attribution, even when not legally required — this models good practice for students and supports academic integrity.
     
  • See our Copyright Guide (opens in new window) and Creative Commons Licenses Guide (opens in new window) for more details on using images in the classroom.
Students raising their hands in a classroom (opens in new window)
Photo by Artem Maltsev on Unsplash.

Publishing & Scholarship

  • For scholarly articles, books, or conference proceedings, permissions may be required if you plan to reproduce copyrighted images. This is especially important when publishing with commercial or academic presses.

  • Images with Creative Commons licenses or in the public domain are usually the safest choices for publication. Be sure to follow the exact license conditions (e.g., attribution, noncommercial, share-alike).

  • Always credit image creators in your work. A simple attribution includes the creator’s name, title of the work, and license.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I seek permission to use a copyright-protected image in a publication?
The University of Michigan Library Copyright Office guide on Obtaining Copyright Permissions provides excellent guidance. If you plan to use copyright-protected works in your published scholarship, start the permissions process as early as possible.

What if I cannot identify the copyright holder of the image?
This is known as an orphan work—a work that is still copyright-protected, but where the copyright holder cannot be identified or located. If you use an orphan work in your published scholarship, you will need to rely on the fair use exemption to use the image legally.

What if the copyright holder doesn’t respond to my request for permission?
A non-response should be treated as a denial of permission.