Discovering images using Visual Arts Data Service (VADS) OCA: webinar 11.2.21
This session was run by the University for Creative Arts. I’d not heard of the VADs resource before. VADS is managed by the Library at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).
Here is what I learnt:
- Can be accessed by anyone for non-commercial use but must reference the images
- 1400 images form 300 UK art and design collections available , it is a service of the library ogUniversity of creative arts
- Unique images (often not found elsewhere), specialist collections, detailed descriptions (reliable sources), British design, European paintings.
- How to browse/search by collections
- How to reference
- J peg images not high resolutions but are suitable for essays etc.
- Can save images to favourites
- “Mirador” (right hand small box) can be used to open an image viewer and add others from other repositories/places to compare them.
Information given in the Q & A session was useful:
- Am I allowed to use a VADS image in a non-commercial exhibition? Although in the UK it is not an infringement of copyright to put an artistic work on public display, it is likely for that you will need to reproduce images in high resolution for the purposes of an exhibition. We would recommend contacting the relevant collection owner to gain permission and obtain high quality versions of the images.
- Can I use a VADS image in a Thesis? It is permissible to use VADS image in your thesis for educational purposes as long as it includes a full acknowledgement. However if you intend to make your thesis available online then it is considered a published work and you will to conduct some research to see if there are any commercial licences attached to the images. If you have checked and can’t trace any commercial licence, then it may be possible to rely on a legal exception.
- Are students more likely to go to Google to find images? How is VADS ranking in the Google search results? It is an ongoing priority for us as librarians at UCA to promote the use of quality image collections that can be used in education, and not just searching via Google. Nevertheless, VADS is indexed on Google search results down to the individual item level. VADS has a lot of links from quality websites such as universities that should also improve its Google ranking.
- Can the Getty Museum images be used for free? The J Paul Getty Museum website states that: “The Getty makes available, without charge, all available digital images to which the Getty holds the rights or that are in the public domain to be used for any purpose. No permission is required.” https://www.getty.edu/about/whatwedo/opencontent.html
A useful source to remember, especially if I want detailed information.
Reference:
University for The Creative Arts (2021) VADS At: https://www.vads.ac.uk/ (Accessed 11/02/2021).
Photography 2: Documentary 