Research Guides: Interdisciplinary Fine Arts: Electronic Encyclopedias

Background Information in Visual Arts

The following links will help you locate material in our and other libraries' book collections, in databases, and in online encyclopedias. Cook Library Reference Collection materials that are not available online may be found on the third floor of the library.

If Cook Library does not own a copy of the book you want, you can request it to be delivered to Cook:

Books that are requested from other University System of Maryland (USMAI) libraries should arrive within 2-5 days.
If you need a book from a library outside the USMAI system, use Interlibrary loan/ILLiad to order it.
Books that are requested via Interlibrary loan may take up to 10 days for delivery.
Look out for an email from us letting you know your request has arrived. You'll be able to pick up your requested book at the Circulation desk on the main floor of the library.

Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive database of biographical information on more that 150,000 people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas.
Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Subscription includes: Grove Art Online, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Over 45,000 articles on every aspect of the visual arts are included. This database also includes 5,000 images from institutions such as the British Museum, the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

WorldCat TU
WorldCat TU searches for materials held at Towson University and at libraries around the world. This is an excellent place to search for books and to discover material about your topic.

Bibliography of the History of Art and RILA This link opens in a new window
The Getty now provides free access to the Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA) and to the Répertoire de la litterature de l'art (RILA). The databases can be searched together or separately. Searched together, they include article citations from over 1,200 journals covering material published between 1975 and 2007.
The combined database is an important tool for Arts research, however, as a free unsupported database, Cook Library is not able to incorporate the Find It button. Citations found here will need to be tracked down through the library’s Journal List or through Interlibrary Loan.
IBA: International Bibliography of Art This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Scholarship on European art from late antiquity to the present; American art from the colonial era to the present; and global art since 1945, including the visual arts in all media. This will help you findjJournal articles, books, conference proceedings and exhibition catalogues.
Art and Architecture Archive‎ This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
A full-text archive of magazines in the fields of art and architecture, dating from the late 19th century to the 21stt. Subjects covered include fine art, decorative arts, architecture, interior design, industrial design, and photography. The magazines are scanned from cover-to-cover and presented as full-color page images.

Tools for Researching Biographical Information in All Performing and Fine Arts Fields

Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive database of biographical information on more that 150,000 people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Includes biographical information from a wide selection of reference books in all fine arts subject areas.
Oxford African American Studies Center This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
AASC contains over 7,500 articles from Oxford's reference program and includes 5 major encyclopedias; Africana; Encyclopedia of African American History,1619-1895 ; Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present; Black Women in America; and African American National Biography. Good for researching individuals as well as important places and historical events.

Library of Congress Performing Arts Encyclopedia
Offers biographical essays, digitized content, photographs, and other special materials from the Library of Congress

Dance, Theatre, Art, and Literature Encyclopedias

Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Provides text and images for biographical articles about artists, art history, and art movements.
LION: Literature Online This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
LION provides texts, and criticism of over 350,000 works of poetry, prose and drama from the 8th to the 21st century including thousands of literary articles, essays, biographies and encyclopedia entries.

Encyclopedia of African American Artists by Dele Jegede
Biographical articles and some images.
Encyclopedia of Native American Artists by Deborah Everett and Elayne Zorn
Biographical info and images.
Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion by Valerie Steele
Articles on the history articles of clothing, specific types of costume, and dress throughout history.
The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts by Gordon Campbell
Articles and images on jewelry, furniture, glassware, and other objects of decoration.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance by Dennis Kennedy (Editor)
Covers dance, opera, radio, film, television, and popular performance.
International Encyclopedia of Dance
Includes entries on dance forms, music and costumes, performances, and biographies of dancers and choreographers.

Music Encyclopedias

Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This is an important resource for researching musical periods and styles, composers, and instruments. OMO provides extensive encyclopedia type articles written by experts.

Musicians and Composers of the 20th Century
Includes biographical info as well as works listings for concert music as well as pop music personalities.
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin (Editor)
Publication Date: Online edition

Topics in History, Culture, Political Science, and Other Areas

Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Launched by Oxford University Press in 1995, Very Short Introductions offer concise introductions on a diverse range of subject areas, such as Climate, Game Theory, Privac;y Islamic History, etc. Subject areas include Arts & Humanities; Law; Medicine & Health; Science & Mathematics; and the Social Sciences. Towson University has 5 simultaneous users.

Ask a Librarian

Interdisciplinary Fine Arts

Background Information in Visual Arts

Tools for Researching Biographical Information in All Performing and Fine Arts Fields

Dance, Theatre, Art, and Literature Encyclopedias

Music Encyclopedias

Topics in History, Culture, Political Science, and Other Areas