Introduction | Reference Sources | Indexes & Databases | Internet Resources | Citation Styles

For further research assistance, please contact Gorham Library, University of Southern Maine 780-5344.

In order to find books, journal titles, videos, government documents and other materials held in the University of Maine System you will need to consult URSUS, the online catalog. Because journal article citations are not individually included in URSUS you will need to use a discipline-specific index to find this information (see Resources by Subject).

If you do not know the exact subject heading describing the topic you need, try doing a keyword search using other word/s related to that topic and then click on the subject heading links found within the relevant records to find additional, useful resources.

The Library of Congress provides a breakdown of the call number classification scheme. To find a listing of Art & Artists call numbers click on any of the subcategories to see more detail.

The following is a listing of selected subject headings relating to Art and Artists. Each subject heading is hot-linked directly to URSUS.

To find books, journal titles, videos, government documents and other materials not available through the University of Maine System or Maine Info Net, please check WorldCat, which includes bibliographic records for more than 36 million items held at the OnLine Computer Library Center (OCLC) member libraries throughout the world and is updated daily.

If the item is not available through the University of Maine System (URSUS) or the statewide catalog Maine Info Net you can request it via Interlibrary Loan (Illiad).

Reference sources are useful tools to obtain background information and to develop a vocabulary of possible search terms. The following items are print resources available within the University of Southern Maine system.

General References | Dictionaries | Encyclopedias

General References

American Art Directory
GOR Reference N50 .A54 2003-04

Art in America: Annual Guide to Galleries, Museums, Artists
GOR Reference N510 .A77 2005-06

Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist
GOR Reference NC 760 .P35 1982

Atlas of World Art
GOR Reference G1046 .E109 2004

Contemporary Photographers
GOR and LEW TR139 .C663 1988
GOR TR139 .C664 1995

A History of Architecture
GOR Reference NA200 .F61H6 1975

A Short Guide to Writing About Art
GOR Reference N7476 .B37 2003

A Treasury of the Great Children's Book Illustrators
GOR Reference NC965 .M49 1997

Dictionaries

Bryan's Dictionary of Painters and Engravers (5 volumes)
GOR Reference N40 .B94 1919

The Dictionary of Art (34 volumes)
GOR Reference N31 .D5 1996

Dictionary of Contemporary American Artists
GOR Reference N6536 .C8 1994

Dictionary of Women Artists (2 volumes)
GOR Reference N8354 .D53 1997

Dictionnaire Critique et Documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs Dessinateurs et Graveurs de Tour les Temps et de Tous Les Pays (10 volumes)
GOR Reference N40 .B47 1976

International Dictionary of Art and Artists (2 volumes)
GOR Reference N7425 .I67 1990

The Oxford Dictionary of Art
GOR Reference N33 .093 1997

Contemporary Artists (2 volumes)
GOR Reference N6490 .C6567 2002

The Continuum Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism
GOR Reference GR705 .W47 2003

Encyclopedia of World Art (17 volumes)
GOR Reference N31 .E533 1959-1987

The Photography Enclyclopedia
GOR Reference TR9 .M39 1999

Who was Who in American Art 1564-1975 (3 volumes)
GOR Reference N6536 .W56 1999

Who was Who in American Art
GOR Reference N6536 .W5 2005-06

World Artists 1950-1980
GOR Reference N6489 .37 1984

World Artists 1980-1990
GOR Reference N6489 .W67 1991

Because of the lengthy publishing cycle for a book, information in a book is not always current. Periodical articles are current sources of information. There are two main types of periodicals: scholarly and popular. Scholarly periodicals are usually Refered to as journals. Articles in journals contain reports of primary research; the articles are written by experts in the field and for other researchers/scholars; use terms and language specific to that discipline; may include graphs, charts, etc. related to the topic; most often are peer reviewed via an editorial board; are published by professional organization or society, university, research centers, scholarly presses; and often include a bibliography. Popular periodical articles contain general information; are written using easily understood language that appeals to a varied audience; are usually written by journalists or others who are not experts in the field; do not include citations; has a limited or non-existent editorial review board; and may contain glossy photographs. The Finding Articles tutorial provides more information on how to find articles.

To find scholarly articles it is necessary to consult a discipline-specific electronic or print index/database. The following are electronic indexing sources available to the University of Southern Maine community.

Academic Search Premier
Date coverage: Varies
Provides indexing for 8,025 publications, with full text for more than 4,500 scholarly publications of which over 3,600 are peer reviewed.

Art Index
Date Coverage: 1985-present
Art Index is a bibliographic database that indexes articles about art, architecture, archaeology, crafts, design, museology, photography, television and textiles, in addition to all aspects of art including graphic, folk, and decorative, from periodicals published throughout the world.

Art Index Retrospective
Date Coverage: 1929-1984
A bibliographic database that cumulates citations to volumes 1-32 of Wilson's Art Index (more than 600 publications). International in scope.

Directory of Open Access Journals
The aim of the Directory of Open Access Journals is to increase the visibility and ease of use of open access scientific and scholarly journals thereby promoting their increased usage and impact. Includes journals in art, visual arts, and architecture.

Humanities International Index
Date Coverage: 1925-present
The Humanities International Index is a comprehensive database covering journals, books and other important references in the humanities. This database provides indexing and abstracting for over 1,900 titles.

National Gallery of Art: The Collection
Presents information about the collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. Allows users to search the collection by artist, title, or a combination of criteria. Contains a list of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and works on paper that are grouped by school. Links to the National Gallery of Art.

Oxford Reference Online Premium
Oxford University Press' cross-searchable collection of 100 language and subject dictionaries and reference works, including architecture, art, and artists.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
Date Coverage: Varies
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses and ABI/INFORM Global databases allow users to search dissertations and selected newspapers.

ProQuest Newspapers
Date Coverage: Years of coverage vary by title.
Full text of more than 500 U.S. and international news sources. Includes The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and the Times of London, plus hundreds of other news sources and news wires. Years of coverage vary by title.

There is no authority control for the Internet. In choosing Internet resources it is imperative to evaluate the authenticity of the source. Thinking Critically about Discipline-Based World Wide Web Resources (UCLA College Library) provides excellent evaluation criteria. The following selected resources have been chosen because of authenticity and comprehensiveness of coverage.

Art/Artists | Research and Writing | Associations

Art/Artists

Art Conservation
University of Delaware's links to art conservation.

Art History Resources on the Web
Sweet Briar College Art History Professor's site has extensive information and links to art history; countries; prints; photography; museums; and research materials.

Finding Images on the Web
Boston University's links to wide variety of images.

Getty Art Museum
The Los Angeles Museum site provides access to its art collection; as well as access to the Research Institute and Conservation Institute and links from these sites.

Google Images
Includes vast number of images of art work.

International Directory of Art Libraries
Access to art library websites world-wide.

Library of Congress: American Memory
Visual images of art, history, and architecture spanning American history.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Educational Resources: Online
Comprehensive list of links including: art history, architecture, conservation, and museums.

Metropolitan Museum Timeline of Art History
Extensive annotated timeline with links to works.

Mother of All Art and Art History Links
University of Michigan site with art history resources, images, museums, and on-line art exhibits.

National Gallery of Art: Artists and Works of Art
Information about selected artists and their work.

Perseus Digital Library
Tufts University's Classics website.

Portland Museum of Art
PMA's art collection; past, present, and future exhibitions.

Robert Venn Carr Jr. Online Collection - University of Maine Museum of Art
Digital photographs of 300 pieces of the Modern Art Collection.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
Extensive catalog of American painting, sculpture, and photography.

Smithsonian Archives Image Gallery
Access to visual archives.

Virtual Library Museum Pages
European based site has links to museums world-wide which provide additional links.

Web Museum: Artist Index
Brief artist biographies.

World Art Treasures
JE Berger Foundation's site includes 100,000 slides of famous art pieces with biography and links to additional information.

Research and Writing

Art History Writing Guide
Wesleyan University site provides guidance on research, analysis, and writing an art history paper.

Smithsonian: Researching Your Art
An excellent place to begin researching.

Writing the Art History Paper
Dartmouth College advice on researching, analyzing, and writing for art history.

Association

American Institute of Architecture

College Art Association

National Endowment for the Arts

In using resources it is imperative that they be used ethically and legally. The sources listed here provide assistance in following correct citation methods.

The Bedford Handbook
Writing resource and exercises.

EndNote
Citation assistance for generating a bibliography.

Online: A Reference Guide to Using Internet Sources
Detailed advice for citing on-line sources.

Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age
Diana Hacker's MLA information for writing in the Humanities.

Writer's Reference
Practice Exercises

The Bedford Handbook 7th Ed. (Hacker)
Writing and grammar handbook.
GOR POR and LEW Reference PE1408 .H277 2006

Writer's Reference 5th Ed. (Hacker)
Writing Style manual that includes both MLA and APA citation and paper styles.GOR POR and LEW Reference PE 1408 .H2778 2003

Last Update: 11.16.06 pap