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Background Information
Reference books can provide background information on various topics, helping you to better understand your topic. Typically entries on topics will be brief, between 1-20 pages, and can help you find related topics and areas.
Background information can help you learn about the history, scope, depth, and breadth of your topic. It can be useful to help you understand a subject, as well as give you information to help you narrow a topic.
Credo Reference
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Credo Reference is a online database that contains the full text of more than 900 online reference books. The results in this database will give you brief information about subjects and help you learn more as you narrow your topic. You can also use the mind map feature to explore related topics.
Reference Books
These titles are located on the second floor of the L.W. Tyree Library (unless otherwise specified) and are available for in-library use only. Use the call number to locate the item. If you need information from one of these books from an SF center, please call for assistance at 352-395-5409.
Some reference books are available online. Look for the word 'eBook' in the call number to identify eBooks. To read the eBook, click the title and then log in.
30,000 Years of ArtCall Number: REF N5300 .A14 2015 (also on 3rd floor)An accessible introduction to the whole of art history, from prehistoric times to the present day.
100 Ideas That Changed ArtCall Number: eBook (click title)From the earliest cave paintings through to the internet and street art, this inspiring book chronicles the 100 most influential ideas that have shaped the world of art.
Art History: The Key ConceptsCall Number: N5300 .H278 2006 (3rd floor) & eBook (click title)Containing entries on over 200 terms integral to the historical and theoretical study of art, design and culture in general.
Art in World HistoryCall Number: REF N5300 .H674 2004This two-volume set looks at the influences on art within a historical context. Covers ancient history to the twentieth century.
Atlas of World Art (The Art Atlas)Call Number: REF N5300 .A77 2004b Bottom shelfA new vision of over 40,000 years of world art, in map format.
Bulfinch Guide to Art History (The Bloomsbury Guide to Art)Call Number: REF N380 .B78 1996 & eBook (click title)Provides a fascinating insight into the origins and significance of the work of Western artists and architects.
Critical Terms for Art HistoryCall Number: N34 .C75 2003 (3rd floor) & eBook (click title)Offers a spirited reassessment of art history's methods and terminology.
The Dictionary of ArtCall Number: REF N31 .D5 1996The definitive reference work covering all aspects of art. A second set is available in the Circulating collection on the third floor.
A Dictionary of Art Titles: The Origins of the Names and Titles of 3,000 Works of ArtCall Number: REF N33 .R56 2000This dictionary of 3,000 works of art explains the meaning behind the titles. A bibliography and an index of artists are included.
The Grove Encyclopedia of Materials and Techniques in ArtCall Number: REF N8510 .G76 2008 & eBook (click title)This reference work provides fascinating historical and current uses of materials and techniques in a wide range of areas from painting and sculpture to non-traditional media such as digital and video art.
If the Paintings Could TalkCall Number: eBook (click title)Reveals the hidden histories of paintings in the National Gallery, London.
Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art TermsCall Number: REF N33 .L75 2004 & eBook (click title)An essential reference work embracing the vast vocabulary of art in all its forms. Covers painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, the decorative, applied and graphic arts from all periods throughout the world up to the present day.
Timelines of the Arts and LiteratureCall Number: REF NX447.5 .B76 1994Offers a detailed chronology of the cultural side of human history. Includes literature, visual arts, and performing arts including theater, music, dance, and film.
Dictionary of Architecture and ConstructionCall Number: REF NA31 .H32 2006A classic since 1975, the Dictionary of Architecture and Construction is one of the most trusted resources in the AEC community. The fourth edition features nearly 25,000 definitions and 2,500 illustrations, making it the most comprehensive dictionary in the industry.
Encyclopedia of 20th-Century ArchitectureCall Number: REF NA680 .E495 2004Focusing on architecture from all regions of the world, this three-volume set profiles the twentieth century's vast chronicle of architectural achievements, both within and well beyond the theoretical confines of modernism.
The Encyclopedia of North American ArchitectureCall Number: REF NA703 .A53 2006This book follows the progression of American architecture from the first settlers, traders and colonists.
Great BuildingsCall Number: REF NA200 .W56 2012Profiles twenty of the world's greatest buildings, providing for each the story of its construction, a visual analysis, and an explanation of key architectural features, and offers a chronological history of architecture.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Homes Through World HistoryCall Number: NA7105 .S74 2009Time, technology, and culture influence the homes of people throughout the world, from the simplest prehistoric dwellings to the architecturally complex single dwellings and skyscrapers of today. These volumes cover ancient times to the late Middle Ages, the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution, and the Post-Industrial Revolution to the Present.
Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture by Call Number: REF NA31 .B83 2012Meticulously written, heavily cross-referenced, and filled with more than 3000 new and updated definitions and 1,000 new photographs, this impressive, visual resource is the best way to gain a full understanding of architectural elements and the new language of green and sustainable architecture.
Key Buildings from Prehistory to the Present: Plans, Sections and ElevationsCall Number: eBook (click title)This book features some of the most important buildings in the history of world architecture - from the pyramids and Parthenon to some of the most significant works by recent architects.
The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of 20th Century ArchitectureCall Number: eBook (click title)Contains wide ranging and authoritative coverage of the whole spectrum of architecture and urban planning in the 20th century, and of leading architects and engineers the world over.
Art of Ancient EgyptCall Number: REF N5350 .M61423Includes beautiful full-color photographs of many of the most important artwork from ancient Egypt.
Continuum Encyclopedia of Native ArtCall Number: REF N6490 .W49 2000This comprehensive reference text covers the often misunderstood area of aesthetics, anthropology and mythology within tribal or indigenous non-Western art.
Encyclopedia of Latin American and Caribbean ArtCall Number: REF N6502 .E53 1999"Covers the arts of every country in Central and South America and the Caribbean from the colonial period to the present day."
The Grove Encyclopedia of American ArtCall Number: REF N6505 .G76 2011 & eBook (click title)Deals with all aspects of American art and architecture from Native American art to Colonial art to contemporary American art.
The Grove Encyclopedia of Classical Art and ArchitectureCall Number: REF N5610 .G76 2007 & eBook (click title)Two volumes of visual arts from the Classical period, covering more than 4,000 years.
The Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and ArchitectureCall Number: REF N5965 .G76 2012A 6-volume set that covers art and architecture in Western Europe from the 6th century to the early 16th century.
