LibGuides: Finding Plays : Resources for Inspiration

Image Databases

Check the Image Databases for a complete listing of Alkek Library's holdings.

Ad*Access
Over 7,000 U.S. and Canadian advertisements in five product categories - Beauty and Hygiene, Radio, Television, Transportation, and World War II propaganda.
Coverage: 1911-1955
AP Newsroom
Current and historical photographs, audio clips, & news from the Associated Press. The Archive is licensed for educational use.
Coverage: Photographs - 1826 to present, audio clips - from the 1920’s to present, news stories - from 1997 to present.
Art Images for College Teaching
Images of ancient, medieval, and Renaissance European art & architecture photographed by the Allan T. Kohl, who consents to their use in any application that is both educational and non-commercial in nature.
Coverage: Dates vary.
ARTstor
Over a million images of artworks, photography (artistic and documentary), and the built environment (architectural structures and monuments).
Coverage: Dates vary.
Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850 - 1920
Over 9,000 images that illustrate the rise of consumer culture, especially after the American Civil War, and the birth of a professionalized advertising industry in the United States.

1850-1920
Grove encyclopedia of classical art and architecture
Architecture, ceramics, metalwork, mosaics, painting and sculpture, information about art forms, artists, rulers, philosophers, architecture, renowned works of art, archaeological sites and stylistic developments.

Covers visual arts of the Classical period.
Pop Culture Universe
American and world popular culture, past and present. Decade overviews from 1920s to 2000s.

1620 to present

Finding Images in old Magazines & Newspapers

Do we own it?

Search by Magazine name: Check the Periodical List at the link below for electronic content or Library Catalog for print content to see if we have the magazine you want.

Search by Topic: Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature (1982-present) and Readers Guide Retrospective (1890-1982) is a good source for searching Popular Magazines by topic.

Newspapers: Check online collections or search 3rd floor Microfilm shelves by Newspaper Title.

Print/Microfilm Collections

Microfilm, microfiche, and print journals and magazines published after 1980 are located on the 3rd floor.

Print Journals and magazines published before 1980 are shelved by call number on floors 5-6.

Periodical List

Related Guides & Resources

Visit the Art & Design guide for more resources on finding images and content in our library.

Also, Primary Source Historical databases may be a good place to find inspiration in old newspapers, diaries, photography, and other content.

Browsing Guide

Below is a list of Call Number areas for Fine Arts, Theater, Architecture, etc for general browsing purposes when searching for images.

Subject	Call Number
Advertising	HF 5801-6182
Aesthetics	BH
Architecture	NA
Art Encyclopedias	N1-9165
Art General	NX
Decorative Arts	NK
Drawing & Illustration	NC
Graphic Arts & Computer Graphics	TR, NC, Z200
Jewelry Making	TS, TT
Music	M
Painters & Painting	ND
Photography	TR
Printmaking	NE
Sculpture & Sculptors	NB
Costume design & History	TT, GT500-2370

Finding Images in Books

Finding illustrations or photos of objects, people, paintings, prints, etc.

Our cataloging does mention whether a book is illustrated. The first and simplest way to find a picture of something, is to look for a book about it, then note whether the catalog entry mentions "ill." or “illus.” Those abbreviations mean the book has an illustration or is illustrated.

Also know that "pictorial works," "pictures," "illustration" or “___ in art” are legitimate subject headings that can be combined with any number of keywords to find pictures or illustrations. For example, “flowers in art” is a subject heading, or “birds—pictorial works,” or look at “Pictorial works” as a subject heading alone. It tells you: Search also: subdivision Pictorial works under names of countries, cities, etc., individual persons, families, corporate bodies, and under classes of persons, ethnic groups, and topical headings.

We do own the Illustration Index, Sculpture Index, and Havlice's World Painting Index (tells you what book has a reproduction or illustration of known works by known artists) and Martha Moss's Photography Books Index, volumes I and II, a subject guide to photo anthologies. If you do a keyword search under “catalogue raisonne” you will get all the books of the complete works (catalogue raisonne) of particular artists.