Teaching with Slides: The History of the Visual Resources Collection at Yale

Slide vendors were key partners in developing Yale's slide library. The vendors photographed (or sourced) images on a particular topic and sold them individually or in bulk to slide libraries across the country. The vendors were in the business of selling slides specifically for lecture use. Due in large part to the transition from analog slide to digital format for teaching, nearly every slide vendor has since gone out of business. Each vendor sent promotional catalogs to highlight their collection and services. In addition to slide companies, independent photographers also shared and sent their work to slide libraries for consideration.