LibGuides: AHIS 3959: Art History Senior Research Seminar: Articles

Database Searching

CLIO Database Searching

You can browse Columbia's database by discipline or resource type.

Click on the CLIO logo with an empty search box
Select "Databases" from the left navigation
You should see the window below
Use the "All Disciplines" drop-down menu to search for a particular subject area (example: arts, architecture and applied arts.)
Use the "All Resource Types" menu to search for databases by type (such as encyclopedias, maps, newspapers, sound recordings, etc.).

Finding Journal Articles in Art History

Databases in CLIO

There are nearly 90 databases covering art, architecture, and the applied arts in the Columbia Library system. Many of these are specialty databases cover a particular culture, period or discipline. Below you will find some of the most commonly used databases in art history. You can find a complete list in CLIO. The two of the most consulted databases:

BHA and RILA
A comprehensive bibliographical database of scholarly writing about the history of western art, containing "abstracts and indexes of current publications in the history of art, including scholarly journals, conferences, book, exhibition reviews, and exhibition catalogues." The abstracts may be in English or in French, and index terms (descriptors) are in both English and French. BHA and RILA cover European and American visual arts material published between 1975 and 2007.
International Bibliography of Art (IBA)
The definitive resource for scholarly literature on Western art, IBA is the successor to the Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA), and retains the editorial policies which made BHA one of the most trusted and frequently consulted sources in the field.

Other commonly used databases

Art and Architecture Source
Covers a broad range of related subjects, from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design. This database features full-text articles as well as detailed indexing and abstracts for an array of journals, books, podcasts and more. International in scope, Art Source includes periodicals published in French, Italian, German, Spanish and Dutch and is designed for use by a diverse audience, including art scholars, artists, designers, students and general researchers.
ARTbibliographies Modern
ABM provides full abstracts of journal articles, books, essays, exhibition catalogs, PhD dissertations, and exhibition reviews on all forms of modern and contemporary art. The coverage includes performance art, installation works, video art, computer and electronic art, body art, graffiti, artist's books, theatre arts, conservation, crafts, ceramic and glass art, ethnic arts, graphic and museum design, fashion, and calligraphy, as well as traditional media including illustration, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and drawing.
Arts & Humanities Citation Index
Multidisciplinary database covering the journal literature of the arts and humanities. Indexes world's leading arts and humanities journals with selected, relevant items from major science and social science journals.
Design & Applied Arts Index (DAAI)
International index to over 130,000 annotated references from more than 500 design and craft journals and newspapers published from 1973 onwards, and data on over 50,000 designers, craftspeople, studios, workshops and firms. DAAI also includes two supplementary databases: Education Directory, an international directory of universities and colleges that offer courses in design and craft subjects and the Periodical Directory, an international directory of design and craft journals. Research articles are covered, along with topical news items, conference and seminar reports, and book, video and exhibition reviews.

E-Flux
e-flux is a publishing platform and archive, artist project, curatorial platform, and enterprise which was founded in 1998. Its news digest, events, exhibitions, schools, journal, books, and the art projects produced and/or disseminated by e-flux describe strains of critical discourse surrounding contemporary art, culture, and theory internationally. Its monthly publication e-flux journal has produced essays commissioned since 2008 about cultural, political, and structural paradigms that inform contemporary artistic production.

Index of Medieval Art
Formerly the Index of Christian Art, The index of Medieval Art is a thematic and iconographic index of medieval art that encompasses early Christian, Jewish and Islamic works from the first centuries of the common era to the 16th century. Entries include descritpive information, provenance, location and ownership information, bibliographical references, and when available, photographic reproductions of the works themselves.
Index to 19th Century American Art Periodicals
Indexes 42 art journals published in the US during the 19th century, providing nearly complete coverage of journals from this period. The Index describes the entire journal contents articles, art notes, illustrations, stories, poems, and advertisements.
Iter: Gateway to the Middle Ages and Renaissance
For eBooks: Iter, University of Toronto Libraries : Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series & Iter : Gateway to the Middle Ages & Renaissance migrated to database "Scholars Portal Books: Iter"
Library Stack
Library Stack is a living collection of independent ebooks, audio files, videos and digital documents being published within the fields of contemporary art, design, media studies, cinema, architecture and philosophy.

Connecting Google Scholar to Columbia's Databases

Steps to connect Google Scholar with Columbia's Databases 

Go to scholar.google.com
Click on the 3 horizontal bars in the upper left-hand corner
Click on "Settings"
Click on "Library Links" in the left-hand menu
Search for Columbia University and select "Columbia University in the City of New York - Columbia e-link >>"
Hit Save
Click the "Columbia e-link >>" to access full-text links to Columbia University Libraries' journal subscriptions.