Jesse Maack, CAS '21, sculpture outside Fields Center for the Visual Arts.
Using this Guide
Welcome to the Studio Art Research Guide, designed to assist Lewis & Clark students with research in art. Referring to the Art History research guide may also be helpful in some cases. If you have any questions, please ask Erica!
Browsing
One of the best ways to discover books in art is to browse the collection in person. The call numbers for art books are largely grouped by medium, as follows:
N - Visual Arts
NA - Architecture
NB - Sculpture
NC - Drawing
ND - Painting
NE - Printmaking
NK - Decorative Arts
NX - Arts in General
NX600 .P47 - Performance Art
TR - Photography
What are the limits of browsing? Some subjects, like video art, don't have one clearly defined call number; books on video art are shelved in numerous locations. You will also miss ebooks, which will frequently give you quick access to very current titles. And you'll also be constrained to just the books we have here, missing items that you can easily request from other libraries in our consortium. In other words, incorporating browsing into your habits is a great idea, but don't rely on it exclusively!
