Finding Library Books

From the MU Libraries' Gateway, choose MERLIN catalog.  Select our own location (Columbia) 

First try a Subject Search (Library of Congress Headings) typing in the last name of the architect followed by the first name. A subject search will find books written about an architect or their work.

Next try a Keyword Search typing in just the last name of the architect if the name is unique.  If the name is common, type in the architect's first and last name.  This type of search searches the table of contents and notes field for the words you type in. A book may have just a chapter about an architect so it would not show up in a subject heading search, but it will show up in a keyword search.  Unfortunately, not all books in the MERLIN Catalog have their table of contents listed.

If you do not find enough on your architect, click on the MOBIUS Union Catalog button at the top of the screen.  This expands your search to most university and college libraries in the state including Washington University which has a very extensive collection of books on architecture.   Most books you find through MOBIUS are requestable online.  Simply click the "Request Item" link at the top of the screen.  Books requested through MOBIUS take two to three working days to arrive. 

For more in-depth research, try searching subject specialized journal article databases. Begin at the MU Libraries' Gateway.  Click on Databases and  then click on the subject area,  Arts & Humanities. Choose the subject Architecture.  Select one of the databases and follow instructions on how to conduct a search.  Every database has a slightly different interface, but all have help pages that contain tips and/or tutorials.

Next try the following three specialized subject databases:

Art Index  
Art Index contains citations to articles and book reviews in about 270 periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins published primarily in the U.S. and Europe. Includes archaeology, architecture, art history, city planning, film, industrial and interior design, and photography. Some full-text available. Coverage is 1984 to date.

Avery Index  
Avery Index indexes more than 2,000 periodicals published worldwide on architecture, archaeology, city planning, interior design and historic preservation. Coverage is from the early 1930's  (with selective coverage dating back to the 1860s) to the present. Expanded coverage includes obituary citations providing an excellent source of biographical data - often the only information available for less-published architects. 

If you do not have luck finding information in the four databases listed above try one of the following full-text newspaper databases:

Factiva
Factiva contains full-text articles from 8000 publications (primarily newspapers) published around the world.  Since the database is full-text, you must type in very specific keywords like the architects first and last name and the word architect.

LexisNexis Academic
LexisNexis Academic offers access to the full-text of current and back issues of major newspapers, journals, newsletters, and news sources from around the world.

Determining If An Article Is Available At MU Libraries

After locating citations for journal/magazine/newspaper articles, determine whether they are available in MU Libraries.  

First check http://proxy.mul.missouri.edu:2048/login?url=http://mulibraries.1cate.com/, the Library's database of electronic journals,  to see if we have  online access to a journal title.  If you are on the MU Libraries' Gateway page, just click on the Electronic Journals link in the upper left hand side of the screen to enter Find it @ MU.  Type in the name of the publication you are looking for.

Next check the MERLIN catalog to see if we have a print subscription to the journal.  Use the Journal, Magazine and Newspaper Titles search.

Internet Resources
Architecture, Biographies, Articles
Architects' biographies from the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.