facilities
Art and Art History
 

Slides

Since the beginning of the academic year 2007–08, the VRC no longer produces new slides. However, the existing slide collection continues to be used as a valuable image resource.

Access & Slide Circulation Policies
The slide collection primarily supports the teaching needs of the Department of Art and Art History faculty who are offering regularly scheduled classes. Borrowing privileges of slides are extended to other members of the university community when such loans do not interfere with internal needs.

  • VRC staff members will orient new borrowers to the use of the collection.
  • Slides leave the collection for the length of time of the lecture only.
  • Borrowers select and pull their own slides from the files, inserting a designated circulation card where each slide is removed.
  • Each borrower may reserve and check out up to 50 slides per lecture.
  • Slides may be held on reserve for up to 2 weeks in advance.
  • The borrower completes a circulation form that is kept on file until the slides are returned.
  • VRC staff will count and initial the circulation form when the slides go out and when they are returned.
  • Slides do not circulate between semesters.
  • Slides may be checked out to be digitized in the Fine Arts Library for uses set forth in the UT System Rules of Thumb for digitizing archival slides.

Note: The Visual Resources Collection does not lend out slide trays or audio-visual equipment to members of other departments.

  • As a general rule, slides may not be duplicated; however, they may be digitized only for uses set forth in the UT System Rules of Thumb for digitizing archival slides (What is Fair Use?)
  • Slides from commercial or museum sources may not be duplicated without advance written permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the requestor to provide such permissions.

Conservation Tips
Heat and moisture are harmful to slides. They should be kept in a cool, dry place at all times. Projecting a slide for longer than one minute is damaging to the slide. It is important to determine in advance if the projection equipment to be used is safe for glass-mounted slides. Slides should be stored in a cool, clean, dry environment. (An excellent reference on this subject is the Visual Resources Association publication, Special Bulletin No. 3, “Conservation Practices for Slide and Photograph Collections”, 1989, by Christine Sundt.) The issue contains articles on some of the common problems and issues that slide and photograph curators deal with on a daily basis. There are short articles on foggy glass and fungus, products such as film cleaner and alcohol, temperature fluctuations and humidity control. There is also advice on seasonal check-ups for equipment, troubleshooting projector problems, chemical streaking on film, and reevaluating your insurance coverage.