Print Books in the Library
Art Resources in the Library
You can find books, journals, and magazines related to the visual arts in the Visual Arts Wing of Dinand Library. This wing is located on the main floor of Dinand. If you are facing the circulation desk, the Visual Arts Wing is to your left by the Hogan entrance to the building. If you have trouble finding it, ask for help at the desk!
At Holy Cross, print books are organized using a system called the Library of Congress Classification or LCC. In this system, books are assigned a call number based on their subject. Books are arranged on the shelves by their call number, which acts like an address for the book. Materials related to Fine Arts are assigned call numbers that start with the letter N. Most call numbers then have a second letter to give a more specific subject:
| N -- Visual arts | ND -- Painting |
| NA -- Architecture | NE -- Print Media |
| NB -- Sculpture | NK -- Decorative Arts |
| NC -- Drawing. Design. Illustration | NX -- Arts in General |
Photography: The Library of Congress Classification system puts photography under the subject technology, not fine arts. Therefore, books about photography have a different call number than other fine arts. The call number for photography is TR. You can find TR books in the Visual Arts Wing.
Library Catalog
Use the Library Catalog to find print books, print journals, and ebooks in the library's collection. Access the Library Catalog search through the library home page (https://www.holycross.edu/library) or at the link below. The Library Catalog will also show items available in the Worcester Art Museum Library.
Subject Headings
The library catalog uses terms called subject headings to arrange books related to similar topics. They put everything related to one topic under a consistent label to make it easier to find with a search. Knowing the relevant subject headings for your topic can help streamline your search by essentially helping you speak the catalog's language.
When you search in the catalog, look for the subject headings listed in the results. They will be listed in the details of a book. In the library catalog, these subject headings are linked so you can click on one to generate a search for that heading.
Subject headings may use language that is slightly different from what you use to describe something. When searching the catalog, you can search for a broad term related to your topic (like the medium or art movement your work is from) and then choose one result to explore the subject headings.
Follow the link below for an example of a catalog record for a book.
- Catalog Record: Puja and piety : Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist art from the Indian subcontinent / edited by Pratapaditya Pal ; with essays by Pratapaditya Pal, Stephen P. Huyler, John E. Cort, Christian Luczanits ; contributions by Debashish Banerji.Look for the list of subjects on this page. Click on one to see what the search finds. Notice how the subjects start broad and then get more specific.
Research Tip: Start Broad
Scholarly books tend to provide a broad scope of information. Therefore, you probably won't find a book about your specific object (unless it is very famous). When looking for books, think about broader topics related to your object.
- What medium is it?
- What time period is it from?
- Where is it from?
- Is it part of a specific art movement?
- Who is the artist?
You may be able to find books related to those characteristics of your object, which will provide you with helpful context for your object.
Worcester Art Museum
Worcester Art Museum
You can find information about many works in the Worcester Art Museum's collection online. Browse the collection or use their search feature for specific objects. Their records will usually include general information about the work (including dimensions, type of work, and medium), label text that the museum displays with the work, and information about exhibitions it has been part of.
Worcester Art Museum Library
As you search for art materials in the Library Catalog, you might see some results with locations at the Worcester Art Museum (WAM). The WAM Library is part of the Holy Cross Libraries, and Holy Cross students, faculty, and staff can borrow materials from that library.
If an item is listed at the Worcester Art Museum, you can request for it to be delivered to campus for you to pick up at Dinand Library. On the catalog page, you will see a link that says "Request this item" below the call number. Click that link, log in with your Holy Cross account when prompted, and select your preferred pick up location. You will receive an email when the item is available for you to pick up.
Library Databases
About Databases
A database is a collection of information that is arranged and tagged for easy searching and retrieval. Think of a database like an online storage container: It stores different publications, journals, books, magazines, and newspapers and makes it possible for you to access them. The library subscribes to over 300 databases that are available for Holy Cross students to use. Visit our A-Z Databases list to see what is available.
Reference Sources and E-Books
Reference sources provide background information and topic overviews. Browse these collections to find resources about art movements, mediums, and cultures.
- Oxford Reference Books: Art & Architecture This link opens in a new window
Art and architecture encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference books, published by Oxford University Press.
- Grove Art Online This link opens in a new window
A collection of important reference works in the visual arts, including The Concise Dictionary of Oxford Art Terms, The Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, and The Oxford Companion to Western Art.
- Heilbrunn Timeline of Art HistoryA great starting point to place your object in its culture and time period; a resource from the Metropolitan Museum of art with topical essays.
Suggested Databases
Below are some databases related to the visual arts. These will help you find scholarly journal articles and popular source articles.
- JSTOR Arts & Sciences This link opens in a new windowJournal articles in almost every subject area, including some historical articles back to the 17th century. Now contains Artstor, a library of images relating to art and architecture, humanities, and social sciences.
- Art & Architecture Complete This link opens in a new window
Journal articles, magazines, and book chapters about art, art history, architecture, and design.