A transparent illumination system comprising: a light diffusing, light guide layer, comprising: a first glass material; a first major surface; a second major surface opposite the first major surface; a minor edge surface connecting the first major surface to the second major surface; and a plurality of light extraction features; a strengthened structural glass layer coupled to the light guide layer; a light source optically coupled to the minor edge surface of the light guide layer; an optical element located between the light source and the minor edge surface of the light guide layer, the optical element configured to facilitate spreading of light from the light source in a plane normal to the minor edge surface; and an intermediate layer (20, 26) directly coupled to the second major surface of the light guide layer and located between the second major surface of the light guide layer and the strengthened structural glass layer, wherein the first glass material of the light guide layer has a first index of refraction and the intermediate layer (20, 26) has a second index of refraction, wherein the first index of refraction is greater than the second index of refraction and a difference between the first index of refraction and the second index of refraction is greater than 0.01 and less than 0.2, wherein light from the light source is transmitted across the light guide layer via total internal reflection, and the light extraction features are configured to direct light out of the light guide layer and through the first major surface, characterized in that the light source comprises a laser diode and the optical element increases the angular emission of light from the light source to at least 90 degrees in the plane perpendicular to the minor edge surface, wherein the light source comprises a collimator located between the laser diode and the optical element, and wherein light from the light source exiting the collimator has an angular emission in a plane parallel to the minor edge surface that is less than a critical angle of the light guide layer at the first and second major surfaces (30, 32). a light diffusing, light guide layer, comprising: a first glass material; a first major surface; a second major surface opposite the first major surface; a minor edge surface connecting the first major surface to the second major surface; and a plurality of light extraction features; a first glass material; a first major surface; a second major surface opposite the first major surface; a minor edge surface connecting the first major surface to the second major surface; and a plurality of light extraction features; a strengthened structural glass layer coupled to the light guide layer; a light source optically coupled to the minor edge surface of the light guide layer; an optical element located between the light source and the minor edge surface of the light guide layer, the optical element configured to facilitate spreading of light from the light source in a plane normal to the minor edge surface; and an intermediate layer (20, 26) directly coupled to the second major surface of the light guide layer and located between the second major surface of the light guide layer and the strengthened structural glass layer, wherein the first glass material of the light guide layer has a first index of refraction and the intermediate layer (20, 26) has a second index of refraction, wherein the first index of refraction is greater than the second index of refraction and a difference between the first index of refraction and the second index of refraction is greater than 0.01 and less than 0.2, wherein light from the light source is transmitted across the light guide layer via total internal reflection, and the light extraction features are configured to direct light out of the light guide layer and through the first major surface, characterized in that the light source comprises a laser diode and the optical element increases the angular emission of light from the light source to at least 90 degrees in the plane perpendicular to the minor edge surface, wherein the light source comprises a collimator located between the laser diode and the optical element, and wherein light from the light source exiting the collimator has an angular emission in a plane parallel to the minor edge surface that is less than a critical angle of the light guide layer at the first and second major surfaces (30, 32).