Pfeiffer Library: Locating Images: Image Resources

Pfeiffer Library Databases

There are several databases on our library website that you can use to locate images:

American Periodical Series Online This link opens in a new window
Includes digitized images of the pages of American magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century.
Biography Reference Bank This link opens in a new window
Biographical articles of more than 500,000 people and 30,000 images.
HarpWeek This link opens in a new window
Page images and indexes to Harper's Weekly, covering the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.
LANDSAT 7 Satellite Images This link opens in a new window
Satellite images of Ohio, taken every 16 days.

EBSCOhost Databases

EBSCOhost databases, such as DragonQuest, have an "Images" icon at the top of the search page. This will search the database for images only. A good place to start would be searching the Academic Search Complete database, as it has sources on several topics for general interest. If you are interested in locating images on a specific subject, you can view all our EBSCOhost databases here.

EBSCOhost Databases: Images Search Page

Internet Sources

Besides our databases, you can also locate images from other online sources, including:

Google Images: Like using Google, it is a great place to retrieve simple information. However, it is important to remember that not all information from Google is scholarly and accurate. The same applies to photos and images. If you plan on using Google Images or similar online resources for retrieving images, it is crucial that you cite the image and its original source correctly. It may require searching around the website to locate the correct information. You can also use Google Images' advanced search option to help you find images more efficiently.

Museum websites/databases: Many museum websites have collections of images pertaining to their exhibits. This is very common among art museums because it is simple to offer digital versions of artwork. Examples include the Cleveland Museum of Art Collection, image and data resources from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Art. Many of their search features are similar, where you search by keyword or image number.

Library digital image collections: Several libraries have their own databases available with public access to image collections. You might want to check your local public library's website for any image collections they have available. Examples of large image collections in libraries are the Smithsonian Libraries Image Gallery, the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog, and the New York Public Library Digital Collections.

These are just a few examples of reliable image resources, but there are several image collections that libraries and museums provide to the public. Depending on the type of images you need, you may need to search different collections. Take time to think about what type of images you need or the topic you are researching. This can save you time in determining an appropriate source to find images.