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**Evaluate the Library Instruction Session**

Alexander Calder:
Research Sources and Strategies

First Things First:  Choosing a topic & Selecting your search terms

Choosing a topic is an iterative process.  Here are some considerations to keep in mind. Your topic will evolve as you research, so research must also be part of choosing your topic.

Think about synonyms, broader terms, narrower terms, plural/singular terms... what are the ways to describe your topic?  Create a list of topic words or that you will use in your searches.

Finding Books

• VIRGO - The library catalog
  Words that appear in "Subject" field (i.e. Library of Congress Subject Heading terms):
  • "Calder, Alexander", exhibitions, "criticism and interpretation", mobiles, sculpture, "kinetic sculpture"
    

Search the Subject field, and join your words using "AND"
    Example: Calder AND Paris
    Example: Calder AND exhibitions

Search using "Search All", and look for keywords. Connect your words using "AND" to narrow down your results.  Careful!  "Search All" will include results in which your terms appear as part of an Author's name, publishing company, etc!
    Example: Calder AND jewelery
    Example: Calder AND drawings

Also try VIRGObeta, our new catalog!  It's currently in testing, but should be ready for full release in the Spring!

Finding Articles:

Art Index
Indexes articles and art reproductions in all arts media from selected art periodicals published since 1929. The index is divided into two parts, Art Index Retrospective (1929-1984) and Art Index Full Text (1984-present). Actual full text coverage begins in 1997.

ArtBibModern
Abstracts of journal articles, books, essays, exhibition catalogs, PhD dissertations, and exhibition reviews on all forms of modern and contemporary art published since the late 1960s.  NOTE:  You can also search Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, The Bibliography of the History of Art, and Design and Applied Arts Abstracts by selecting "Arts and Humanities" from the subject area menu.

JSTOR
The full text of key journals in history and other disciplines, from the first volume up to the late 1980's or early 1990's. Includes the American Historical Review, College Art Journal, Burlington, Archives of American Art Journal, and more.  NOTE: JSTOR does NOT include recent issues of these journals.

EbscoHost
Indexes over 100 journals related to architecture, planning, landscape and sustainability - many of which are NOT indexed by Avery. Some articles provided in full-text.  Also great for current events, news items, and reviews.

The Calder Foundation
Searchable information, including a bibliography, chronology, archival photographs and record of Calder exhibitions.

Reference Resources (for orienting you with people,concepts, and other general background info)

Grove Art Online 
Access to over 41,000 articles on the arts and cultures of Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific as well as links to tens of thousands of images.

Oxford Reference Online
Of particular interest to this class are  the Art & Architecture  and History materials.

Finding Images:

• ARTstor (You will need to set up an account for ArtStor. See the ARTstor Help for more information)
  • NOTE: Please see the video on the left for a tutorial on downloading images from ARTstor for use in Powerpoint or other formats.


• Flickr
  • Flickr is filled with amazing images of public art.  PLEASE NOTE, however, that copyright restrictions still apply with Flickr.  You are welcome to use images in a scholarly context, but don't publish or post to the web without permission of the photographer!
    

• YouTube
  • It's kinetic sculputre... why not watch it move?
    

Questions?  Need more help?  Contact Us!

Lucie Stylianopolous:  lucie@virginia.edu

Rebecca Cooper:  rcooper@virginia.edu

Image Credit:  1969 dedication of La Grande Vitesse, attended by its creator, Alexander Calder. Photo from the collections of the Grand Rapids Public Library.