Exploring the Arts 2008

Ideas for Materials / Resources to Include into Library Exploration Activity

1) FRANCIS
Can be used to locate:

  • books
  • areas of the collection by subject (doing a call # search)
  • videos (DVD, VHS and a few laserdiscs) -- limit by format
  • audio materials (CDs and a few LPs) -- limit by format
  • sccores -- limit to material type 'score'
  • materials in non-English

2) Browsing the collections - show how the Library of Congress numbers work:
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/

3) Areas of the stacks/collections worth sending students to:

  • N: Fine Arts section. Very visual, many large scale books. 
  • AP: Popular news section, includes LIFE magazine for e.g.
  • PS: American Fiction
  • GV 1588 - GV 1799  Dancing
  • TR: Photography
  • Video collection
  • Audio CD collection
  • Scores collection

4) Interesting Databases for newspapers and magazines

Oxford Art Online (Grove Art)
International art encyclopedia. You may search for artists' biography and/or images.   A Title search for picnic, retrieves 40 entries. 

ProQuest Historical Newspapers (US)
Full-text digitized US newspapers.  Would be great to locate information about an exhibit for example or articles about: famous auctions, stolen art, repatriation issues, etc. 

Example 1 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=118966936&sid=1&Fmt=10&clientId=3620&RQT=309&VName=HNP
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=687760742&sid=17&Fmt=10&clientId=3620&RQT=309&VName=HNP

Harper's Weekly
Important newspaper in US history http://app.harpweek.com/IssueImagesView.asp?titleId=HW&volumeId=1903&issueId=0314&page=414


5) Streaming audio and video databases

Dance in Video
dance performances (from  Stravinsky to contemporary American and European troupes). Also includes documentaries. 

Opera in Video
opera performances, interviews and documentaries.

NaxosMusic Library
classical, jazz, world and folk music.

6) Assistance is always available.
Encourage students to use the libraries Subject Guides.  Remind them that they can schedule individual consultations with librarians and that we are also available online through email.