Research Guides: Visual Arts: Getting Started: Home

Welcome!

Image: Flower Clouds by Odilon Redon via The Art Institute of Chicago

Subject Specialist

Alexis Arcaro

she/her/hers

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Subjects: ESL, Health, Music, Performing Arts, Religious Studies and Philosophy, Visual Arts, World Languages

Local museums and arts spaces

Check out some local art museums!

Valley Arts Newsletter

Want to stay in the loop about local arts happenings? Subscribe to the Valley Arts Newsletter!

Core Databases

Art-Specific Databases

These databases are specifically helpful for art-related needs!

Artstor This link opens in a new window
Image database including architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, and design as well as many other forms of visual culture. More than 2 million images from top museums, archives, scholars, and artists — all rights-cleared for education and research.
To cite in NoodleTools: Where is it? Database | What is it? Work of Visual Art | URL is stable
Digital Theatre+ This link opens in a new window
Browse or search theatre-related topics: recorded plays, poems and their poets, themes, people, video analyses, and more.
Fine Arts and Music Collection This link opens in a new window
Search through academic journals, popular magazines, books, news articles, images, and more for fine arts and music topics.
To cite in NoodleTools: Choose "Cite," export to "NoodleTools," and import the citation into your NoodleTools project | URL in citation is stable
Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window
Access to Grove Art Online, the Benezit Dictionary of Artists, and other Oxford art reference resources.
To cite in NoodleTools: Where is it? Database | What is it? Reference Source | URL in citation is stable
Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new window
Access to Grove Music Online and other Oxford music reference resources.
To cite in NoodleTools: Where is it? Database | What is it? Reference Source | URL in citation is stable

Other Databases

These databases aren't focused on art, but they may prove helpful in your research.

Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window
Access to peer-reviewed, full-text articles from the world's leading journals and reference sources.
To cite in NoodleTools: Choose "Cite," export to "NoodleTools," and import the citation into your NoodleTools project | URL in citation is stable
Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window
A good place to find scholarly articles for a variety of disciplines.
To cite in NoodleTools: Choose "Export," direct export to "NoodleTools," and import the citation into your NoodleTools project | URL in citation is stable
Biography in Context This link opens in a new window
Access to information about hundreds of thousands of individuals spanning history to science to literature. Features various types of content, including multimedia.
To cite in NoodleTools: Choose "Cite," export to "NoodleTools," and import the citation into your NoodleTools project | URL in citation is stable
Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
A small collection of academic reference e-books and encyclopedias.
To cite in NoodleTools: Choose "Cite," export to "NoodleTools," and import the citation into your NoodleTools project | URL in citation is stable
Pop Culture Collection This link opens in a new window
This collection provides useful information for any researcher in a social science, history, art or liberal arts course.
To cite in NoodleTools: Choose "Cite," export to "NoodleTools," and import the citation into your NoodleTools project | URL in citation is stable

Research Tips & Tricks

Want some help with your database research? There's a guide for that!

Browse the Collection!

The Art Collection is located in the Silent Room; call number range: 700's.

New Art Books in the Library

Journals, newspapers, & more in our collection

Resources for Making

Interested in learning a craft/skill? Your (free!) Boston Public Library eCard entitles you to access to Creative Bug, a site with classes on all manner of arts and craft.

Head to our BPL eCard guide to learn how to sign up.