Library Guides: ARCH 131s / ARCH 132s Basic Design Studio I &amp; II: Design Sources

General Design Sources

General Sources
Design Sources

LionSearch This link opens in a new window

Starts with Google-style searching of Penn State's library catalog (The CAT) plus most of the e-journals and e-books at Penn State. Unlike Google, allows many ways of manipulating the results. For more information, see the video tutorials listed below:

Searching for info on designers
Henry’s YouTube explanation of searching for designers.

Catalog (Penn State University Libraries catalog) This link opens in a new window
This is the online catalog of materials owned by Penn State Libraries. All formats (books, journals, audiovisuals, maps, recordings, etc.) are included. Circulation status for individual items is also provided. Coverage: Presently contains about 7 million records. Updates: Continuous up-to-the-minute as new records are added.

Like LionSearch, the library catalog is database of materials owned by the Penn State Libraries: books, journals, audiovisuals, maps, recordings, etc.

However, it is easier to find A SPECIFIC BOOK or SPECIFIC JOURNAL TITLE using the library catalog since it does not search the full text of materials (articles in journals, chapters in books.)

Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Contains descriptions of articles on the history and practice of architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation, furniture, and interior design and decoration in more than 700 international magazines. Most indexing began with 1934, but some titles are indexed to dates as early as 1741. Updated weekly.

Describes articles related to architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning. Links via the Get It! button.

Contains descriptions of articles on the history and practice of architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation, furniture, and interior design and decoration in more than 700 international magazines. Most indexing began with 1934, but some titles are indexed to dates as early as 1741. Updated weekly.

Building Types Online This link opens in a new window
Documentation of about 850 recent building projects organized by building types (that is to say, the functional purpose of the building.) Typical results include a project description, drawings, and photographs. Essays discussing major types are also available. Especially strong in housing and it’s variations but also including libraries, museums, schools and industrial, office and sacred buildings.

A selection of recent buildings arranged by types. For example, search "School and Kindergartens" to browse 132 examples, each with excellent photos and drawings. Upon entering, download the "Taxonomy" file to browse the useful design categories use the tag the projects.

British Architectural Library Catalog This link opens in a new window
In addition to listing the books and other collections of one of the largest architectural libraries in the world, the Library of the Royal Institute of British Architects, this catalogue contains hundreds of thousands of records describing each feature article in more than 300 important architectural periodicals. “Architecture” here means history and current practice, as well as landscape architecture, interior design, urban design, and a significant amount of related engineering (civil, structural, construction, etc.) Since this is another library’s catalog, the location information on each record is not relevant – each item will need to checked in LionSearch or The CAT to determine if it is immediately available.

Describes articles and books on architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning. Free info from one of the largest architecture libraries in the world. Unfortunately, no links – each item chosen must be checked in The CAT or LionSearch to determine if it is immediately available.

Penn State University Libraries

ARCH 131s / ARCH 132s Basic Design Studio I & II

Temporary Liaison for Arts and Architecture

General Design Sources