The Centre for Image Information: the shape of things to come

Abstract

Since its transfer to De Montfort University at Leicester, Britain’s National Art Slide Library, formerly at the Victoria and Albert Museum, has become the catalyst for a new Centre for Image Information. The Centre will provide a clearing house for information, a research centre, and an image bank, and will concern itself with images in all formats with an emphasis on new technology. Whether moving images are to be included will depend on the availability of funding. A major component of the Centre’s initial strategy will be the development of a high resolution database of images capable of being delivered as medium resolution databases, optical discs, slides, or on paper. Although the Centre has been conceived primarily as a national service, institutions in other countries in addition to those in the UK are invited to join as Associates, and the Centre is eager to exchange information across national boundaries.