Graphics can be used for backgrounds, navigational icons such as buttons and arrows or decorative devices. Graphics can also be used for information content: for example, a picture of your library building, your library logo, historical photographs, etc.
Sources of Graphics
There are many different possible sources of graphics for your library website, each with advantages and disadvantages. Some popular options are listed below.
Scan them yourself :
You can use a scanner and graphics software to scan in your own pictures, photographs, etc. This requires the purchase of a scanner and an investment of time in learning how to use graphical software to manipulate the resulting files, but is the best option if you intend to do convert many local files.
Have someone scan them for you :
If you have a large collection of photographs or other images that you want to convert, you may want to outsource scanning to a commercial service.
Use a digital camera :
You can use a digital camera to take photographs for your web pages. This is especially good for circumstances where you want to be able to quickly add pictures of library programs or other special events.
Hire a graphic artist :
If you want to use custom graphics that you do not have available in other formats, you can hire a graphical designer to create images for your website.
Use clip art :
For backgrounds, icons and decorative graphical elements, you can use commercial or freeware clip art. Clip art is generally included with graphics or web production software or may be purchased on CD-ROM and other formats.
There are also many shareware and freeware clip art sites on the World Wide Web. Many of these, however, require a link-back to the graphics site from any web site that uses them. Be sure to read the terms of use statements carefully.
Copyright and Fair Use:
You should keep a list of all graphics that are used on your web site, listing the source of each. Library web sites on NOBLE must comply with copyright and fair use requirements. Libraries need to think about copyright issues for both downloaded clip art and the conversion of pictures, photographs, etc., with a scanner. The fact that you can easily save a file that you are viewing with your browser does not mean that you have the right to use it on your web page, and the fact that you own a photograph or a book containing pictures of photographs does not mean that you own the right to use those. Libraries should obtain permission to use all material protected by copyright.
Graphics File Formats
You can use graphics in either gif or jpg formats, which can be displayed by most browsers without the use of plug-ins. If you have files in other formats, you can use graphics software to convert the format to gif or jpg. As a general rule, jpg is better for photographs and gif is better for everything else. This is because jpg handles gradations of color better, and gif handles sharply defined areas better. When in doubt, try both and use the one that looks better and stores at the smaller size.
Image Size Attributes
You should add the image size attributes to all image tags on your web pages. Having the image sizes specified allows the browser to load the page faster, something that home users will appreciate.
The ALT Attribute:
Graphics can add a lot of both style and informational content to a web site, but not everyone will view your site using a graphical browser, or will have the graphics option turned on. To accommodate the nongraphical viewer, all images on NOBLE web sites must use the alt attribute.
The ALT attribute should be a few words of description, enclosed in brackets, for all significant graphics. For images that are really just decorative, like buttons, the proper alt is alt=””, which substitutes null text (i.e., nothing) for the image, which avoids the [IMAGE]display.