Welcome to the CCA Libraries guide to Fine Arts research. This site helps students and faculty find the resources they need for their academic and creative practices, including links to subscription databases and other research tools. This guide directs you on how to find the best books, articles, and images, plus examples of how to cite sources in your work. If you have any research questions, ask one of CCA's librarians -- we're here to help.
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CCA Libraries SearchCCA Libraries Search (a.k.a. Summon) searches nearly all of the library's holdings, both digital and physical. This is the best starting point for all research projects because of the quantity & diversity of information available.
* Image: Whale Tail sculpture by Ethan Estess. Constructed of reclaimed rope and exhibited at SFO as part of an exhibit "Art of Recology: The Artist in Residence Program 1990-2013"
Reference Resources
Begin your research by seeking background information about your topic using reference sources (enyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks). Some reference sources are available in print in the CCA Libraries. Other reference resources are available electronically.
Reference books are helpful. They . . .
- offer introductory information
- define key terms
- help you focus your research topic
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History - Developed by the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, this resources is a chronological, geographical and thematic tool for learning about art history.
Clara: Database of Women Artists - An interactive database containing authoritative information on 18,000 women visual artists of all time periods and nationalities. The information in Clara® is drawn from the materials in National Museum of Women in the Art's extensive Archives on Women Artists.
Smarthistory - A multimedia, well-organized web-book about art and art history. Smarthistory at Khan Academy is the leading open educational resource for art history.
College Art Association News Archives - You can download full, intact issues of CAA News from Summer 1976 to July 2010 as PDF files.
Keeping the Artist Safe: Hazards of Arts and Crafts Materials - This is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website that houses resources for further research. Topics range from product guides to waste management of hazardous substances, and includes Información en Español.
