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Research Help Page

For helpful information about how to research, take a look at our Research Help page.

Useful Databases

Useful databases for doing research on artists. Hover over the i to learn about what each database covers before choosing one.

More specific

Research Library: The Arts This link opens in a new window This resource covers publications on the arts for researchers of all levels.
International Bibliography of Art (IBA) This link opens in a new window "The definitive resource for scholarly literature on Western art, IBA is the successor to the Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA), and retains the editorial policies which made BHA one of the most trusted and frequently consulted sources in the field. The database includes records created by the Getty Research Institute in 2008-09, with new records created by ProQuest using the same thesaurus and authority files."
ARTbibliographies Modern (ABM) This link opens in a new window "This database is the only specialist bibliography available for the study of modern and contemporary art. Covers all art forms, including fine art, digital art, crafts, design and photography. Features full abstracts and indexing from art journals published from the late 1960s onwards. Also incorporates book records, including those drawn from the collections of the Tate Library and the Bibliothèque Dominique Bozo, Musée LAM."
Arts & Humanities Full Text This link opens in a new window "This database features hundreds of titles covering Art, Architecture, Design, History, Philosophy, Music, Literature, Theatre and Cultural Studies. It is designed to complement the following indexes: ABM, Avery, BHA, BHI, DAAI, Index Islamicus, MLA, Philosopher's Index and RILM."
Design and Applied Arts Index (DAAI) This link opens in a new window "This database is the premier source of information for all aspects of design and crafts, from textiles and ceramics to vehicle design, advertising and sustainability. Covers journal articles, exhibition reviews and news items from 1973 to the present."
Fine Arts and Music Collection This link opens in a new window Fine Arts and Music Collection provides access to scholarly journals and magazines that support research in areas including drama, music, art history, and filmmaking. The database emphasizes full-text content for publications included in the Wilson Art Index and RILM bibliography.
Web Gallery of Art This link opens in a new window The Web Gallery of Art is a free, searchable database of European fine arts and architecture (3rd-19th centuries). Artist biographies, commentaries, guided tours, period music, catalogue, free postcard and mobile services are provided.

More broad

Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.
Expanded Academic ASAP This link opens in a new window From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers - many with full text and images!
Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window Academic OneFile contains peer-reviewed, full-text articles from the world's leading journals and reference sources, covering the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, literature and other subjects. Includes full-text coverage of the New York Times back to 1995. Updated daily.
General OneFile This link opens in a new window A one-stop source for news and periodical articles on a wide range of topics: business, computers, current events, economics, education, environmental issues, health care, hobbies, humanities, law, literature and art, politics, science, social sciences, sports, technology, and many general interest topics.

Search Skills

Don't Let Database Searching Stress You Out!
Provides easy-to-understand information about how to search databases. Includes Boolean operators, truncation, and quotation marks.

Research Presentation

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