DANC 284: Composing the Body

Fall 2009

Sandy Mathern-Smith

el jaleo study.jpg

Study for the Spanish Dancer, John Singer Sargent 1882 Image courtesy of ARTstor

Lareese Hall, Fine Arts Liaison Librarian

halll@denison.edu

x6688 

Studying spaces requires first hand site analysis as well as background research into the history of the place (it's architecture, cultural and social context, etc.).

Reference materials are useful for background information on architecture and landscape in general. In our library, reference materials can be found on the 3rd floor by the Learning Commons (they will also say "DEN Ref" in their call number) and online.  DEN Main books are in the stacks.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias: Good for quick reference and starting research.  Encyclopedias are written by leading scholars and often have bibliographies for further reading and research.

  • A dictionary of architecture and landscape architecture DEN REF NA31.C864 2006

  • Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture DEN REF NA31.B83 1998

  • International Encyclopedia of Dance DEN REF GV1585 .I586 1998

  • Visual Dictionary of Architecture DEN REF NA31.C44 1995

  • Fifty Contemporary Choreographers DEN REF GV1785.A1 B74 1999

You can search do a catalog search for dance dictionaries or encyclopedias for more titles. You can also browse the GV section of the reference area (or stacks!) for dance material or the NA section for general architecture/landscape material.

The Denison University Archive is a fantastic source of material for your research. The Archive collects the historical records of Denison University, including information on the university's development, academic programs, buildings and grounds, faculty and administrators, student life, and alumni. It is located on the 7th floor of the library. Once you complete preliminary research and analysis, make an appointment with the archivist, Heather Lyle, to find detailed information about your space. The Granville Historical Society is another source of archival material.  Additionally, The Village of Granville is a good source for local information.

Databases and Web Resources

Databases are infinitely more organized than some random online searches.  Use indexes and databases to search for articles that appeared in periodicals.  If the building or space you are researching has been designed or built by an architect or landscape architect of note, additional research via databases might be helpful.  After you find relevant articles, see if the database you are using has full text (usually PDF) files available for you to download.  If the full text is not available, use the CONSORT Catalog to see whether we subscribe to the journal. If we don't have the journal available make a request for the article using Interlibrary Loan.)

Academic Search Complete
General purpose database covering periodicals from many disciplines.

JSTOR
JSTOR contains full-text journal back issues from many subject areas

Image Databases may be useful as you collect images related to your research.  Your best images for this particular study of a local space will probably be taken by you (or available via Flickr - giving proper attribution via citations) but the following databases may be of use for additional images:

    ArtSTOR
    Images only; a collection of over 300,000 images from museums and cultural sites all over the world.
    VADS the online resource for visual arts
    A searchable catalog of image collections and other collections. Subject areas include fine arts, design, architecture, applied arts, history and theory, media, museum studies and conservation, and professional practice.

Web Resources

Five criteria for evaluating web pages is a useful guide from Cornell University for evaluating web resources.


Finding Books, Journals, and other materials

Use the library catalog (CONSORT) in one of the following ways:

You can search by title, author, keyword, subject, or journal title.  The information you find as you do your research will lead you to additional keywords and subject headings.  Remember to look at the subject headings for the things you find that are useful - that will give you specific search terms to use as you continue with your research.

    Search Tips

    Searching for information about Granville or Denison can be confusing.  Search by SUBJECT when you are looking for information about a particular place. Search for periodicals or journals using the advanced search.  Limit the location to "DEN Periodical Stacks".

    KEYWORD Search
    Use this type of search to combine several terms into one search,
    ... Use AND between terms to narrow your search (dance AND modern)
    ... Use OR between terms to expand your results (dance OR choreography)
    ... Use NOT between terms to eliminates words
    ... Use * to search for all forms of a word (danc* will search for dancers, dancing, dances, dance, etc.)
    ... Use "quotation marks" to search for a specific phrase ("contemporary dance")
    ... Use the "Modify Search" button to weed out videos and retrieve only books (or vice versa).

       MAKE LISTS!!!      Save your catalog searches using  "Saved List" (the "save" button is listed under the number of each item)

  • You can continue to save items on your list throughout your search session
  • To get to the Saved List, click "View Saved Records" at the top of the screen
  • You can print the list or email it to yourself

If you cannot find something in the CONSORT catalog, check OhioLINK to see if there is a copy available.  You can "Request this item" if you find something in OhioLINK (follow the prompts on the screen).