Virginia Tech's Luna Insight® Digital Image Database
Insight Browser | What is Luna Insight? | How can I get started? Search collections / Create presentations | Technical requirements & platforms supported | Help guides, standards & policy documents | How can I help build collections in Insight? | Virginia Tech's digital image collections slated for Luna Insight | Collections Currently Available in Insight (Java client version) | Terms and Conditions of Use
What is Luna Insight?
Insight provides tools for accessing web-based digital image collections. The software allows you to search image collections, manipulate selected images using a "digital lightbox", and create image-based presentations that are ideal for classroom and professional use. Unique features of the presentation software allow for zooming in and cropping of high-resolution images during a presentation, in addition to the ability to annotate and weblink content. Individual images can also be exported for use in other presentation software, such as PowerPoint, and as html pages.
The Insight software and digital image collections hosted on the Virginia Tech site are available for use by Virginia Tech students and faculty. Certain collections are available for use by the general public through the Insight Browser. Contact Steve Tatum for a username and password to access the Virginia Tech collections.
Why use Insight? "Insight enhances teaching & research"
- Creating digital presentations in Insight allows faculty to go beyond what's possible with a slide - show multiple images side-by-side, show details of images with super zooming, linking images to external support websites, adding notes and commentary and more
- Class time is more productive since students have access to the images and presentations both before and after lecture.
- Insight content can be integrated with faculty websites and course support software like Blackboard.
- Creating presentations in Insight saves a great deal of time each semester by simply editing and reusing existing presentations as opposed to starting from scratch from semester to semester, lecture to lecture
- Students can perform advanced assignments outside of class, drawing from large reserves of digital images for individual projects.
- With digital images, quality is not predetermined by slide projectors or displays. 35mm slides have become the standard for teaching because the only device to show them is the slide projector. Since Insight provides the ability to deliver & zoom at high resolutions, images of any size - created from 4x5 transparencies or direct digital capture, for instance - are just as practical and easy to use as a slide. There is no longer a ceiling on image quality with Insight.
How can I get started?
Search image collections & Create presentations:The Insight Java client software must first be installed on your computer in order to access Virginia Tech image collections. Versions are available for both PC and Macintosh computers. You can download the Java client from this link (download instructions are included):
After downloading and starting the Insight Application, you will be asked for a login password. To acquire a login password, please email Steve Tatum.
The Java client version is ideal for:
- frequent users of Virginia Tech digital image collections
- cross collection searching
- manipulating images
- creating presentations and exporting them in HTML or PowerPoint
Browse image collections:The biggest difference between the Java client version and web based browser version of Insight is that cross-collection searching is not possible using the browser software; only one collection may be searched at a time.
The Browser version is ideal for:
- new or occasional users of Virginia Tech digital image collections
- instances where the Java client cannot be downloaded
Technical requirements and platforms supported
Help guides, standards and policy documents for Luna Insight digital image collections at Virginia Tech
Database Guides:
- Accessing the database and collections (PDF)
- Browse, search and export/print images (PDF)
- Exporting an Insight Presentation into HTML or PowerPoint (PDF)
Standards, Policies and Procedures
- "Personal Insight" collections: policies and procedures (PDF)
- Request to open a "personal collection" in Luna Insight - CAUS proposals (PDF)
- Image and data standards for Virginia Tech's digital image collections (PDF)
How can I help build image collections in Insight?
There are two ways in which you can help build collections in Insight. Virginia Tech's Luna Insight Digital Image Database includes Main Collections that are departmentally-based, and Personal Collections that can be created by individual faculty.
In order to participate in collection building, the University Libraries may request some financial contribution from departments, colleges, or other units to cover ongoing costs of server space and/or related services. Please contact Steve Tatum (231-6182) or Gail McMillan (231-9252) for more information.
Participating Colleges (as of 3/05):
- College of Architecture and Urban Studies
- College of Veterninary Medicine
Initial consultation and basic training will be provided by University Libraries staff that includes:
- basic training in how to search, retrieve, and use the image collections for instruction and research
- consultation regarding server space, technical support, and the amount of staff needed for the collection proposed
- assistance in the selection or building of a cataloging scheme and thesaurus suitable for the collection proposed
Virginia Tech's Luna Insight digital image collections slated for Insight
College of Architecture and Urban Studies: Steve Tatum (231-6182)
Art, Architecture and Design Collections scope: architecture, art, building construction, environmental design, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, public administration/policy, urban planning, and related fields. Images considered for inclusion in the Insight database will be those needed for instruction and research by faculty within the College of Architecture and Urban Studies.
College of Veterninary Medicine: David Sampson (231-2315)
Veterinary Medicine Collections scope: Images considered for inclusion will be those needed for instruction and research by faculty within the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Digital Library and Archives:
Gail McMillan (231-9252)
Collections scope: Unique materials of importance to the university, its colleges, departments, units, students, faculty and alumni. Digital images to be moved from the VT ImageBase are largely from University Libraries' Special Collections (Rare Books, Manuscripts, and University Archives), including scanned photographs, drawings, blueprints, correspondence, diaries, ledgers, music, maps, scrapbooks, and more. In addition to regional and university history, topics currently include Christiansburg Institute, Civil War, cookery, exhibitions, International Archive of Women in Architecture, Mexican War, Phycological Society, Al Gross, Theater and Music, Railroad, and Virginia Academy of Science.
Collections currently available in Insight Virginia Tech students, faculty and staff may access the following collections that were acquired with Luna Insight
Estate Project Virtual Collection: Includes works create by artists with HIV/AIDS from the Alliance for the Arts. (3,065 images) via Java Client. More info
Farber Gravestone Collection: Sponsored by the American Antiquarian Society. Pre-1800 gravestone sculpture from New England. (13,527 images) via Java Client. More info.
David Rumsey Map Collection: Cartographic material of North and South America from the 18th and 19th Centuries, including atlases, globes and maps. (1,075 images) via Java Client. More info.
Mitsui Map Collection - Japanese Historical Maps from University of California at Berkeley's East Asian Library:Maps of Japan (major cities) and the world before 1890. (209 images) via Java Client. More Info.
Collections Available from the David Rumsey Website - public and subscribed. More info.
Terms and Conditions of Use
Items may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17,U.S.C.). Usage of some items may also be subject to additional restrictions imposed by the copyright owner and/or the producing institution.
By their use of these digital images, texts, audio and video recordings, users agree to follow these conditions of use:
- for purposes of research and teaching users may reproduce (print or download) in accordance with fair use materials without prior permission, on the condition they give proper credit of the collection owning repository
- materials may not be used for any commercial purpose without prior written permission from the copyright owner
- materials may not be re-published in print or electronic form without prior written permission from the copyright owner
- materials may not be mounted on an additional server for public use, or for use by a set of subscribers without prior written permission from the copyright owner
Please contact any of the following departmental representatives for information on reproducing, re-publishing, or mounting digital image material on an additional server.
- College of Architecture and Urban Studies: Steve Tatum (231-6182)
- College of Veterninary Medicine: David Sampson (231-2315)
- Digital Library and Archives: Gail McMillan (231-9252)
Portions of this website were adapted from UC Berkeley's CDL/Insight website.
Images used with permission from Luna Imaging: http://www.luna-imaging.com/
