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Architectural Research Guide

How to search for books

WRLC Libraries Catalog

• Use the WRLC Libraries Catalog to search for books about a specific topic, or to find out if the library has a copy of a book you are interested in finding.
• The WRLC Libraries Catalog searches the libraries of the schools in the Washington Research Libraries Consortium -- American University, Catholic University, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Marymount University, and the University of the District of Columbia. As a CUA student, faculty or staff member, you may request materials from these libraries directly from the catalog.

Search examples:

Keyword search: Use keyword searching to search through all the descriptions of books in the catalog (title, author, subject, table of contents...) Combine your keyword search terms with "and" or "or". Use quotes to find exact phrases.

• aalto and furniture
• "villa mairea"
• aalto and "villa mairea"
• aalto and "complete works"
• aalto or "villa mairea"

Subject search: Search for a specific topic. (Uses Library of Congress Subject Headings.)

• aalto alvar
• suburban homes
• architecture domestic

Author search: Type the author's last name first.

• aalto alvar

Title search: For title searching, you must know at least the first few words of the title, in the correct order.

• alvar aalto in his own words
• alvar aalto the complete catalogue of architecture design and art

Limiting Your Search

It is possible to limit your search to Catholic University Libraries or to the Eng/Arch Library.

Quick Limits:

• On the basic search page, use the Limit by Location drop-down menu to limit your search to Catholic. This limit will only work for title, journal, and keyword searches.

Set Limits:

• Also on the basic search page, there is a gray button titled "Set Limits." Click on this button to limit your search to the Eng/Arch Library by selecting: CU: Eng/Arch/Math Library.

Status of a Book

You can tell whether a book is checked out and its location in the library from the book's bibliographic record in the catalog. Consult the Location Guide to find out where the book is in the Eng/Arch Library.

Other Library Catalogs

• Library of Congress:
  The Library of Congress is the largest library in the United States and a world-class research institution. Search the Library of Congress's catalog to find out what is available there. You must obtain a Library of Congress I.D. card before accessing the collections. Please consult the Library of Congress's Reader Registration page for more information. Located near the Capitol and accessible by Metro.
• University of Maryland:
  The University of Maryland's Architecture Library is located on the College Park campus and has many additional resources. Search the University of Maryland's online catalog to find out what is available from their libraries. CUA students do not have borrowing privileges at the University of Maryland.
• Howard University:
  Located in Northwest D.C., Howard University's Architecture Library may offer materials unavailable at CUA's Eng/Arch Library. Search Sterling (Howard University's Library online catalog) to find out what is available from Howard University Libraries. CUA students do not have borrowing privileges at Howard University.
• AIA Library:
  The Library of the American Institute of Architects, located here in Washington D.C., is open to members of the American Institute of Architects by appointment and on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Search their online catalog to find out what is available.

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Guide to Browsing the collections

The books in the Eng/Arch Library are arranged by call number. Call numbers group together books that have similar topics. It is important to look in more than one section for books when you are browsing. For example, if you were looking for books about the Eiffel Tower, you might look for books about the architecture of France or Paris as well as books about architectural history and also books about Gustav Eiffel, or books about monuments.

For a more comprehensive search for information, search the WRLC Libraries Catalog. In addition, search for journal and magazine articles about your topic.

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Using Bibliographies

Bibliographies are lists of books about a particular topic. Bibliographies found in Reference books and in the back sections of monographs are generally selected by experts and are a good way to find materials about a particular topic.

Try browsing the bibliographies of pertinent Reference books. For more information, please consult the Reference Sources Guide as well as any books that you find about your topic. To find out whether CUA Libraries have books and journal titles that you find in bibliographies, search the WRLC Libraries Catalog.

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Finding journal and magazine articles

Find articles from magazines and journals by searching one of the indexes listed below for your topic/structure/architect/etc. If you find a citation to an article you are interested in, check the Architecture Periodicals List to see if Eng/Arch Library has a subscription to the journal or magazine you are looking for. Or, check the Electronic Journal Title Finder (on ALADIN) for an electronic version.

Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals

• Available online from the ALADIN webpage.
• The pre-eminent resource for finding journal and magazine articles in Architecture.
• Produced by the Getty Research Institute for the History of Art and the Humanities and the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.
• Indexes more than 2,000 periodicals published worldwide on Archaeology, City Planning, Interior Design, and Historic Preservation, as well as Architecture. Coverage is from the 1930's (with selective coverage dating back to the 1860's) to the present. The Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals is updated daily.
• Keyword search example: wright and fallingwater
• Keyword search example: ando and light
• Subject search example: light in architecture
• Subject search example: houses--20th century--japan--ashiya--koshino house
• See the help screen for more sophisticated searching techniques and strategies.
• Print records for your convenience.
• After finding a reference to a pertinent article, search the WRLC Libraries Catalog by journal title to see if CUA Libraries have the publication, volume, and issue in which the article appears.

Global Architecture Publications

• GA, GA Document, GA Houses and GA Architect are some of the best-illustrated and comprehensive architectural publications.
• These Japanese publications have excellent illustrations of most contemporary architectural structures of some importance.
• Most contain plans, elevations and sections.
• Use the Avery Index to Architecture Periodicals (on ALADIN) to search for a building or architect, and scan your results for any GA publications.

Art Index and Art Index Retrospective

• Available online from the ALADIN webpage.
• Indexes the literature of Art, Art History, Archaeology and Architecture.
• Often has better coverage than the Avery Index from 1929-1970's.
• Online version covers 1929 to the present.
• Keyword search example: meier and houses
• Keyword search example: tschumi and villette

Bibliography of the History of Art

• Available online from the ALADIN webpage.
• The most comprehensive art bibliography available, covering European and American visual arts from late antiquity to the present.
• This database indexes and abstracts monographs, conference proceedings, dissertations, exhibition and dealers' catalogs and articles from over 4,000 journals.
• Subjects covered include painting, sculpture, drawing, prints, architecture, crafts, graphic arts, and folk and popular art.
• Coverage is from 1973 to the present.

ProQuest (Periodical Abstracts)

• Available from the ALADIN webpage.
• Multi-subject reference source covering general and academic periodicals.
• Full-text is available for many articles.
• From the Periodical Abstracts home page, click on "Search Methods" and choose "Guided Search."
• You can choose which fields to search within such as: abstract, article title, article text, all basic search fields.
• Search example : (all basic search fields): glass and stairs
• Search example : (all basic search fields): spa and architecture

Architecture Periodicals List

• To quickly find out if the Eng/Arch Library has a journal or magazine, consult the Architecture Periodicals List.
• To find out if Eng/Arch Library has the particular issue you are looking for, do a journal title search in the WRLC Libraries Catalog.
• Also check the WRLC Libraries Catalog to find out if another library on campus, or another school in the consortium has the journal or magazine you are looking for.

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