LIBRARY RESEARCH FOR ART AND ART HISTORY
Basic Research Steps
1. Define your topic as clearly and as completely as possible.
2. Locate background information on your topic in encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference books.
3. Search CONSULS for books
4. Search the online databases and paper indices for journal articles and other materials available in Buley Library and in other libraries. Locate reproductions and images.
5. Use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services if needed
6. Document your sources
1. Define Your Topic
Before you begin looking for information, take some time to brainstorm your topic. Write down the main concepts as keywords, then write down some synonyms for these keywords.
2. Locate Background Information
Encyclopedias present a general overview of a topic and offer useful bibliographies. Biographical dictionaries, dictionaries of art terms, and encyclopedias are all examples of reference sources. Reference books are located on the first floor and are marked with “Ref” before the call number. Some frequently used reference books are located in the ready reference area behind the reference desk, so please ask a if you need assistance. Examples of useful art reference books in our library:
Dictionary of Art: Ref N31 D5 34-volume printed edition. Published in October 1996, The Dictionary of Art is the most comprehensive art reference. It covers all the visual arts from prehistory to the 1990's in 34 volumes
Encyclopedia of Visual Art Ref N25 E53
Pronunciation Dictionary of Artists’ Names Ref N 40 K3
Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography Ref N 7560. E53
The Concise Dictionary of Art Terms Ref N33 C575
3. Search CONSULS for Books
CONSULS is the shared library catalog for SCSU, CCSU, ECSU, and WCSU. When you search for a book, video, journal or other library materials on CONSULS, take note of the location of the book and the call number. This information is in the holdings box for each record on CONSULS. Students who are registered at SCSU can request materials from CCSU, ECSU, and WCSU by using the ‘request a book” option at the top of the screen. You must first set a library PIN in order to use this function. If you are unsure about how to set a pin, please ask--a librarian will assist you.
To search for a book when the title is known, enter the exact title. If the exact title is unknown or not found, try a keyword search.
To search for a book by author, type in the author’s last name, then first name.
To search for a topic by keyword or subjects:
Keyword searching allows you to use your own terminology and searches for these words in the title, source, and body of the text of each record.
Subject searching is much more specific and searches only the subject heading fields of the records. Subject headings are based on a controlled vocabulary that is often unique to a particular catalog or database.
To limit your search to SCSU holdings only, use the ‘modify search’ option. You may also specify other information such as dates of publications or type of material.
**Tip 1: It is often a good idea to begin a search using keywords. Then, take note of the subject headings being used in the records most relevant to your topic. You can then re-enter your search using the most relevant terms.
**Tip 2: To do a complete search on an artist, search the artists’ name in subject, author, and keyword. In some cases, especially in exhibition catalogs, the artist is regarded as the author of the content of the work, without actually having written the book:
KW= Cezanne, Paul (searches for these words in the title, source, and body text of the record. This is the broadest and most inclusive search since it may also include works where Paul Cezanne is included in a chapter or section of the work)
SU=Cezanne, Paul (will locate this term in the alphabetical list of subject headings)
AU=Cezanne, Paul (locates records where Paul Cezanne is designated as the author of the content –even though he may not have actually written the book.)
4. Search the Databases and Indices
The library subscribes to indexing tools in paper form as well as in the form of online databases. There are general as well as subject-specific databases and indices. If you need retrospective materials from pre-1980’s, then you will need to use some of the paper indices, for example Art Index, since it will lead you to citations of articles back to the 1920’s. Ask a librarian for assistance with selecting the appropriate databases or if you are doing retrospective searching.
The most useful online databases for art research available through our library are:
Art Abstracts: Art Abstracts is a bibliographic database covering topics such as advertising art, antiques, architecture, computers, fashion, graphics, industrial design, photography, sculpture, television, textiles, and video from periodicals published throughout the world. Comprehensive abstracting and indexing is included for 378 international art publications such as periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins. Abstracts date as far back as January 1994 to the present, and indexing dates back as far as September 1984 to the present.
(To locate reproductions, enter keyword(s) in search box, then use the document type pull down menu to select "art-reproduction." Use a search engine or imagebase to look for other reproductions or images on the Web. (see ***below)
BHA: The Bibliography of the History of Art indexes and abstracts articles, art-related books, conference proceedings, dissertations, and art exhibition and dealer's catalogs. This index covers European and American art from late antiquity to the present. BHA indexes approximately 4300 English and Foreign Language publications.
Dictionary of Art- the online version of the comprehensive 34 volume art encyclopedia.
Other databases relevant to art research:
Academic Search Premier
America History and Life (for American Art)
ERIC (for art education topics)
Newspaper Indexes such as Proquest and Lexis Nexis (see the arts and sports section)
Ask a Reference Librarian for help at any time during the research process.