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MUSEUM STUDIES RESOURCES

This is a research guide for finding materials on museum studies in the Greenfield Library at the University of the Arts. Reference materials are listed first, followed by a list of suggested subject headings for searching library catalogs. Periodical indexes to magazine articles and newspapers are next, followed by style manuals and finally Web sites. If you have questions about this topic please see the librarian's e-mail address at the end of this document.

Reference materials | Searching the Catalog by Subject | Periodical Indexes | Style Manuals | Web Sites

REFERENCE MATERIALS

The first place to look when beginning research on a topic is in reference material: specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias or handbooks. These allow you to check names, dates and places, find additional information, look up unknown terms, and check for the proper spelling of words. They are particularly helpful for finding basic background information on a topic, and are often the only place many students may need to look to find answers to their questions. They may include bibliographies (lists of additional materials on a topic, usually considered by the author to be the best materials on that topic) that you can use to find other materials.

All quoted material in the annotations is from American Reference Book Annual (ARBA) series, Greenfield REFERENCE 011.02 Am35, unless otherwise stated.

Bibliographies

Knee, Michael and Steven D. Atkinson. Hypertext/Hypermedia : an annotated bibliography. NY: Greenwood Press, 1990.
Greenfield REF 016.005754 K733h: 497-item bibliography, with subject and author indexes. Includes a few items on art education and museums. Short preface gives very brief history and definition of hypertext/hypermedia.
Shapiro, Michael Staven, ed.The museum: a reference guide. NY: Greenwood Press, 1990.
Greenfield REF 016.069 M972: "This is not a volume to put on the bibliography shelf and forget. In fact, its title disguises an excellent source on museums, their operations, and their history. ... [It is] a much-needed compendium of critical essays and bibliographical resources on aspects of the museum profession. Each of the 11 chapters treats a type of museum ... , or professional issue ... . Within each 25- to 30-page chapter, the author gives a short but substantial overview, a critical discussion of sources in essay form, and a useful bibliography. Appendixes include a list of museum directories, museum archives and special collections, and museum-related periodicals. The format of this books seems ideal as a text for the graduate student as well as for the intelligent lay reader who needs a serious overview of the museum world in all its complexity." ARBA 1991, volume 22, p. 26.
Woodhead, Peter and Geoffrey Stansfield. Keyguide to information sources in museum studies. London ; New York: Mansell, 1994.
Greenfield REF 069.5 W857k 1994. See also first edition, 1989.: "This book succeeds in fulfilling an ambitious goal: to document the literature, reference tools, and organizations that offer information about the study of museums. Woodhead, a reference librarian, and Stansfield, an expert in museum studies, ahve combined their knowledge to produce a comprehensive and well-organized book. Part 1 functions as a handbook of the entire field of museology, discussing its development, methods of diseminating information, and literature. Part 2 is a bibliography arranged by topic. Although the book is international in scope, most of the works listed are in English [many are British]. ...". ARBA 1991, p. 27.

Directories

American Association of Museums. The official museum directory. New Providence, NJ: R. R. Bowker. Annual.
Greenfield REF 069 Of1: Lists more than 5,000 North American institutions. Arranged by state/province, provides name, address, phone/fax numbers, key personnel, collections, research fields, facilities, activities, publications, hours and admission prices, attendance, and membership. Also includes much information on the American Association of Museums, state arts and humanities councils, federal agencies providing museum support, international museum organizations and associations, and more. Also includes "Products and Services Suppliers" section.
American library directory. New Providence, NJ: R. R. Bowker. Annual.
Greenfield REF 027 Am35 2 volumes: Directory of public, academic, government and special (including museum) libraries in the U.S. and Canada. Listings provide name, address, phone/fax numbers, subject interests, special collections, and more.
Hudson, Kenneth and Ann Nicholls. The directory of museums and living displays. NY: Stockton Press, 1985.
Greenfield REF 069 D628h: International coverage. Very brief listings provide address and description of museum contents. Preface includes a glossary of terms.
Truesdell, Bill. Directory of unique museums. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1985.
Greenfield REF 069 T768d
Association of Science-Technology Centers. The ... ASTC directory. Washington, D.C. : Association of Science-Technology Centers. Annual.
Greenfield REF 027 Am35 2 volumes: Directory of public, academic, government and special (including museum) libraries in the U.S. and Canada. Listings provide name, address, phone/fax numbers, subject interests, special collections, and more.

Other

American Association of Museums. Evaluation in a museum setting. (Technical information service ; 6) The Association, 1982-86.
Greenfield REF 069 Ev13
American Association of Museums. Museum studies programs : guide to evaluation. (Technical information service ; 3) The Association, 1985.
Greenfield REF 069.0973 M972a
Association of Art Museum Directors. Salary survey. The Association, 1991.
Greenfield REF 069.0681 As78s 1991: Includes salaries for curators, assistants, educators, conservators, and head designers.
American Association of Museums. Museum careers : a variety of vocations. 2nd ed. (Technical information service ; 2) The Association, 1989.
Greenfield REF 069.023 C162a 1989
Funding for museums, archives and special collections. Oryx Press, 1988.
Greenfield REF 069.0681 F962
Historical dictionary of world's fairs and expositions, 1851-1988. John E. Findling and Kimberly D. Pelle, eds. Greenwood Press, 1990.
Greenfield REF 907.2 H629: "The outgrowth of a history seminar given in 1982, this fascinating dictionary fills a gap in both the history and sociology of world's fairs. The 95 chronologically arranged essays each treat a fair, an exhibition, or an exposition... Basic statistical information and significant (and occasionally amusing) features are included. Each essay is capped by a brief descriptive bibliography." ARBA, 1991, volume 22, p. 540.

Searching the Catalog by Subject

The University Libraries combine their holdings in one online catalog. Use the University Libraries catalog to find books, videos, CDs, scores, journal titles, etc. To locate all of the materials the library holds on a topic, it is most efficient to search by Subject. Use the following subject headings in the online catalog. Be careful to follow the exact spelling and form. These subject headings are standard and are used in most libraries.

EXHIBIT BOOTHS
EXHIBITIONS
EXHIBITIONS--EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES--PERIODICALS
EXHIBITIONS--HANDBOOKS, MANUALS, ETC.
EXHIBITIONS--HISTORY
TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS
FAIRS
MUSEUM ATTENDANCE
MUSEUM BUILDINGS
MUSEUM CURATORS
MUSEUM FINANCE
MUSEUM LABELS
MUSEUM TECHNIQUES
MUSEUM TECHNIQUES--PERIODICALS
MUSEUMS
MUSEUMS AND SCHOOLS
MUSEUMS AND THE HANDICAPPED
MUSEUMS--DESIGNS AND PLANS
MUSEUMS--DIRECTORIES
MUSEUMS--EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS
MUSEUMS--EVALUATION
MUSEUMS--HISTORY
MUSEUMS--MANAGEMENT
MUSEUMS--PERIODICALS
MUSEUMS--PHILOSOPHY
MUSEUMS--PLANNING
MUSEUMS--PUBLIC RELATIONS

See also types of museums:
ANTHROPOLOGICAL MUSEUMS AND COLLECTIONS
ART MUSEUMS
CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS
HISTORICAL MUSEUMS
INDUSTRIAL MUSEUMS
OPEN-AIR MUSEUMS
SCIENCE MUSEUMS

FINDING MAGAZINE ARTICLES

Magazine and journal articles will always be the best place to look for current information on your topic. Periodical indexes are research tools that allow you to search for articles in journals and magazines.

Access to the Periodical Indexes and Databases
Go to the library's Research Tools and Resources page for descriptions of Web-based periodical index subscriptions. NOTE: If you are on the UArts campus network, you will connect without a log-in required. To connect from home, you'll be prompted to type in your name and library barcode number.

Don't have a library barcode yet? Bring your validated UArts ID to the circulation desk of the Greenfield or Music Library for a library barcode. You must get a validation sticker from the UArts Student Billing Office (aka Finance) in Hamilton Hall on your ID for each new semester.

I've found articles I want to find. Now what?
There are different ways to find an article once you pull up a citation in the index:

Check to see if our library holds the journal title. Look up the journal title or the ISSN*** in the catalog and look at the holdings.
See if there is a link in the index you're using to a full-text article online and download it or e-mail it to yourself.
See what other libraries in the area hold the journal.
Use interlibrary loan to request materials not owned by the UArts Libraries.

***What is an ISSN? ISSN stands for International Standard Serial Number and is a unique number for a magazine or journal (not individual articles, but the magazine/journal title itself). You can use it in the UArts Libraries catalog and in many periodical indexes and databases. Searching with a number is much more precise than typing out a long title.

STYLE MANUALS: CITING YOUR SOURCES

When you find information on a topic, no matter what format it takes (book, journal, Web page), there are style manuals to show you the correct way to cite those sources in a paper. Style manuals often also cover basic grammar and research skills.

MUSEUM SOURCES ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Searching the Web can be overwhelming. If you are using the Internet for research you want to choose sites that meet the standards of accuracy, currency and authority.

There are many, many musem-related sites and resources available on the Internet and World Wide Web. The few listed here should provide many links to other sites.

American Association of Museums
http://www.aam-us.org/
"The American Association of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community." Quoted from "About the AAM."

Association of College & Research Libraries: Museum Studies:
Online Resources for Students and Practitioners
http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2007/julyaugust07/museumstudies.cfm
A substantial collection of links selected by a university librarian, this site includes: professional associations and organizations; selected (in this case, free) image collections; databases and information gateways; e-journals, discussions and blogs; directories; technology and museums; employment opportunities; grant directories; and a few miscellanea.

Art History Resources on the Web
http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html
Compiled by Dr. Christopher L.C.E. Witcombe, Art History Professor at Sweet Briar College in Virginia, this site is a huge collection of links to all kinds of art history information. Very thorough and easy to use. See an index of Dr. Witcombe's other Web pages at http://witcombe.sbc.edu/

Heritage Preservation: The National Institute for Conservation
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/
"Heritage Preservation is working to save the objects that embody our history, partnering with conservators, museums, civic groups, and concerned individuals across the nation who care about preserving pieces of our shared and individual pasts." quoted from "About Heritage Preservation"

Librarians' Index to the Internet
http://lii.org/
Maintained by the Library of California, "[the] Librarians' Index to the Internet is a searchable, annotated subject directory of more than 7,500 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their usefulness to users of public libraries. It's meant to be used by both librarians and non-librarians as a reliable and efficient guide to described and evaluated Internet resources." quoted from "About the LII". To see museum links, go to Arts and Humanities and then select Museums.

Museum Computer Network
http://www.mcn.edu/
"Founded in 1967, the Museum Computer Network has been serving the cultural heritage community for over forty years. ... The Museum Computer Network (MCN) supports the greater museum community by providing continuing opportunities to explore, implement, and disseminate new technologies and best practices in the field." quoted from the MCN "About Us" page

Visitor Studies Association
http://www.visitorstudies.org/
"VSA�s members are a diverse and dynamic group of individuals including evaluators, educators, exhibit developers, designers, marketing professionals, planners, academics, and directors who share a passion for improving the quality of visitor experiences. VSA also boasts an outstanding international membership from twenty different countries." Source: Visitor Studies Association: Who We Are

World Wide Web Virtual Library: Museums
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/icom/vlmp/
"The VL [Virtual Library] is the oldest catalog of the web, started by Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of HTML and the Web itself. Unlike commercial catalogs, it is run by a loose confederation of volunteers, who compile pages of key links for particular areas in which they are expert; even though it isn't the biggest index of the web, the VL pages are widely recognised as being amongst the highest-quality guides to particular sections of the web." Source: About the Virtual Library

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Send questions or remarks about this page to Sara MacDonald, Public Services Librarian, SMacDonald@uarts.edu.
Last updated 31 August 2007 sjm