CCA's Simpson Library (San Francisco) supports the architecture, design, and graduate programs. The Meyer Library (Oakland) supports the fine arts and our undergraduate curriculum. Online resources are available from the library homepage.

Finding art images

see CCA's ARTstor and Finding Images Search Help page.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Great alternatives to Wikipedia for general information on artists and art movements.

Oxford Art Online

A full-text collection of major art encyclopedias and dictionaries.

In print the 34 volume Dictionary of Art
OAK REF ENCYC N31 .D54 1996


Researching the Arts on the Web

Regular Google searches often retrieve a lot of irrelevant results, so the CCA librarians have created a Customized Google Art Search which searches only reliable art, architecture, and design websites.

Use Bibliographies

Once you find a good book or article about your subject, take a look at the references listed at the end. This will lead you directly to more resources on your topic. Encyclopedias and art history textbooks have long lists of references, and can quickly lead you to more information.

Art History Surveys

If you don't have a particular artist or work of art in mind, take a look at some of the following broad surveys of the history of art.

  • Art history : the key concepts / Jonathan Harris
    (OAK N5300 .H278 2006)
  • History of Art in Africa / MB Visonà
    (OAK N7380 .H54 2001)
  • Asian art history in the twenty-first century / V. N. Desai (ed.)
    (OAK N7260 .A816 2007)
  • A world art history and its objects / David Carrier
    (OAK N380 .C38 2008)
  • Art history / M. Stokstad with D. Cateforis
    (OAK & SF N5300 .S923 2005)
  • History of modern art : painting, sculpture, architecture, photography / H.H. Arnason
    (OAK & SF N6490 .A713 2004)
  • Art : history : visual : culture / Deborah Cherry (ed.)
    (OAK N72.S6 A7447 2005)
  • Art of the 20th Century / JL Ferrier
    (SF & OAK REF N6490 .A717 1999)
  • History of Architecture / Spiro Kostof
    (SF NA200 .K68 1995)
  • Meggs' history of graphic design / Philip B. Meggs, Alston W. Purvis
    (SF Z246 .M43 2006)

Finding Books: Use the CCA Libraries Catalog to search for particular books on the library shelves.


Browsing the Library Shelves

Go to the shelves for the following call numbers to browse for books:
  • N - Visual arts
  • NA - Architecture
  • NB - Sculpture
  • NC - Drawing, Design, Illustration
  • ND - Painting
  • NE - Print media
  • NK - Decorative arts
  • NX - Arts in general
  • TR - Photography
  • » More detailed call # list (pdf)

Combined search for books and journal articles

Check the boxes for the categories Art, Architecture, and/or Design in Combined Search to find journal articles and books in the CCA Libraries all at once.

Use the Journal Finder to see if a particular art journal is available online at CCA.

Select Art, Architecture, & Applied Arts from the "Browse Journals by Subject" pull-down menu in Journal Finder to browse CCA Libraries online art journal titles.

Search article databases separately by subject to find articles online and in the library stacks.


» Art Full Text/AAC

Art Full Text/Art & Architecture Complete (AAC) is a comprehensive resource for articles in the arts, architecture and design.

Art Full Text includes full-text articles from more than 300 periodicals dating back to 1995, high-quality indexing and abstracting of over 600 periodicals dating as far back as 1984, as well as indexing and abstracting of over 13,000 art dissertations. The database covers fine, decorative and commercial art, folk art, photography, film, and architecture.

Art & Architecture Complete provides full-text coverage of 380 periodicals and more than 220 books. In addition, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 780 academic journals, magazines and trade publications, as well as for over 230 books.

» Art Bibliographies Modern

Provides abstracts of journal articles, books and essays on all forms of modern and contemporary art dating from the late 19th century onwards.

» Avery Index of Architectural Periodicals

Offers a comprehensive listing of journal articles on architecture and design, including bibliographic descriptions on subjects such as the history and practice of architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation, and interior design and decoration.

» Design & Applied Art Index

Provides access to journal articles published in over 450 international craft and design journals since 1973 and includes data on over 50,000 designers, craftspeople, studios, workshops and companies.