BSU Architecture Library News

Subject Searches in the Building Material Samples Collection

2009-11-24T08:59:00.008-05:00

The new Architecture Building Material Samples Collection may be searched in CardCat for specific materials, companies, CSI Masterformat headings, and subjects.

To search by subject, use one of these phrases:

Green roofs (Gardening)--Building material samples.
Sustainable building material samples--Energy performance.
Sustainable building material samples--HCFC-Free.
Sustainable building material samples--Low VOCs.
Sustainable building material samples--PVC-free.
Sustainable building material samples--Recyclable.
Sustainable building material samples--Recycled.
Sustainable building material samples--Renewable.
Vertical gardening--Building material samples.

Stop by the Visual Resources Collection (VRC) in AB 117 to see the samples collection and check out items.

Google Sketchup now available on workstations in the library

2009-09-30T15:56:00.003-04:00

Library users will now find Google Sketchup available on the computer workstations in the Architecture Library. For a complete list of the software on these workstations and elsewhere in the University Libraries, go to: http://www.bsu.edu/library/media/pdf/pacsoftwarelocation.pdf

There is also a new Software Locator tool that helps identify which computer workstations in the University Libraries have specific software and indicates which workstations are in use. To use the Software Locator go to: http://www.bsu.edu/libraries/swsearch/ To find available computers, see the Computer Availability System: http://www.bsu.edu/libraries/cas/

Schwartz Digital Complex in Bracken Library

2009-09-14T14:44:00.003-04:00

The grand opening for the Schwartz Digital Complex in Bracken Library is scheduled for this Thursday, September 17, 2009, from 10am to 2pm. On the schedule of events is a keynote presentation at 1pm during which CAP's own Antonieta Angulo and Dean Guillermo Vasquez de Velasco will be holding class in the complex while also working with studios in Second Life, the architectural firm NBBJ in London, and BSU LifeStructures in Indianapolis. Stop by at 1pm and see how they do this using the technologies available in the new complex on 1 West in Bracken Library.

More information on the grand opening.

Rapidly download images from the collection with the new PowerPoint Generator

2009-09-11T08:50:00.005-04:00

Using the new PowerPoint Generator for the DMR users can rapidly download images from the Architecture Images Collection or any of the collections in the University Libraries Digital Media Repository.

Instructions for using the PowerPoint Generator:

Add images to "My Favorites" in the DMR.
View your "My Favorites."
Click on the "Create" button in the "Save as PowerPoint Slides" section.
Login with your BSU username and password.
Choose a PPT slide format.
Open or Save the PPT presentation once it has been generated.

It's just that easy!

New for Fall '09

2009-08-20T16:24:00.002-04:00

There is always something new in the library! Among the new resources and services for fall 2009:

Building Material Samples Collection in the VRC (AB117)
MultiLink BSU buttons replaced FindIt@BSU buttons in the Avery Index and other article databases
Google Preview added to CardCat. Preview online portions of books in the library collection.
Additional 11 x 17 scanner (the library now has 4 of these scanners)
Library subject guide for First Year students
New digital images in the Architecture Images Collection
Revised laptop printing site
Revised Architecture Library and VRC websites

And, as always, the library offers:

27,000+ volumes
100+ current periodical subscriptions
60,000+ digital images
100,000+ slides
Reference assistance
Course reserves
E-reserves
The Avery Index
Green Building.com
CumInCAD
Slide scanners
Dual monitors
CardCat only workstation
Copy cards for purchase
Videos
Periodicals check out for 1 day (7 days if they’re more than 5 years old)
Online Periodicals

See also: the newly revised Drawings and Documents Archive website and the Drawings and Documents Archive blog.

New Laptop Printing System

2009-07-17T09:59:00.003-04:00

The laptop printing site has changed its look, but still offers the same funcationality. Users can print from their laptops to one of the printers in Bracken Library or the Architecture Library.

Note: Laptop users must be logged into the BSU Network, NOT the guest network, in order to use the laptop printing system.

New Materials in the Library This Summer

2009-07-10T08:38:00.005-04:00

New materials in the collection are on display all year round in the Architecture Library, but in the summer months you will find a larger selection. There are two reasons for this: 1) with fewer students and faculty on campus in the summer fewer materials are checked out and 2) materials received during May through August will stay on display through the end of September.

If you are on campus over the summer feel free to check out these materials. If you won't be back until the fall then stop by before the end of September to take a look at the materials that arrived in the library during the summer months. New materials lists will also be available monthly during the fall and spring semesters.

Fourth Scanner Now Available in the Architecture Library

2009-06-10T11:40:00.003-04:00

The title says it all! The Architecture Library now has a fourth 11 x 17 scanner available for use in the library. All four of the library’s large-format, 11 x 17 flat bed scanners can be used to create high-quality scans. Images can be manipulated with the software available on library workstations, including the Adobe Creative Suite (CS3), or saved directly to a flash drive or iLocker account.

MultiLink BSU replaces FindIt@BSU

2009-05-26T17:25:00.003-04:00

MultiLink BSU buttons have replaced the FindIt@BSU buttons in the library's subscription databases. The MultiLink BSU buttons perform the same functions that the FindIt@BSU buttons did including:

a search for full text of the article in all of the library's subscription databases.
a search in CardCat for the print journal.
a link to an interlibrary loan form if the library does not have a print copy or online access to the full text article.

MultiLink BSU offers additional capabilities:

a search in CardCat by journal title or ISSN.
a search in WorldCat to determine if the journal is available in other area libraries.
a search in Google Scholar for the online full text of the article.

MultiLink BSU can be found in the same databases that FindIt@BSU appeared in, such as:

MultiSearch (search up to 50 databases at once)
MultiSearch: Art & Architecture
The Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals
America: History and Life
The Art Index
Business Source Premier

April is National Landscape Architecture Month

2009-04-23T10:59:00.007-04:00

April is National Landscape Architecture Month, what better time to highlight landscape architecture materials in the library collection?

Journals

The library has everything from professional and scholarly journals (Landscape Architecture; Landscape Journal) to popular magazines (Garden Design).
See the full list of Current Periodicals in the Architecture Library for more titles.

Books

If you want to browse for books, head to the SB call numbers.
If you want to search for books in CardCat, "landscape architecture" and "landscape design" are two good subject terms to start with. Add geographic areas such as "United States" or "Italy" or seach instead for specific designers like Dan Kiley or Martha Schwartz. Place names such as Versailles or Central Park are also a good bet.
Graduating in May? You might want to check out Opportunities in Landscape Architecture, Botanical Gardens, and Arboreta Careers at call number SB469.384.C35 2007.

Images

The Visual Resources Collection's Architecture Images collection in the Digital Media Repository has thousands of images related to landscape architecture. Search for site names, designer names, or site types such as parks, plazas, or gardens.
For more online image resources, check out the VRC's website.

Videos

Figure in a Landscape: a Conversation with J.B. Jackson is now available on DVD. Ask for call number DVD VIDEO 5503 and watch this film about the "originator of landscape studies."
See the full list of Architecture Library videos for more titles.

Finally, the library's Landscape Architecture subject guide is another good way to find out about library resources on landscape architecture.

More Databases for Design Information

2009-03-20T11:45:00.003-04:00

The Avery Index is your best first choice for finding articles on architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning, but the library also subscribes to several other specialized information resources you may find useful to your research:

BuildingGreen.com - Sustainability and design information. Includes online access to articles from Environmental Building News and the GreenSpec directory of building products.

CumInCAD - Cumulative index of publications about computer aided architectural design from journals and conferences such as ACADIA, CAADRIA, eCAADe, SiGraDi, CAAD futures, DDSS and others.

MADCAD - International Building Code (IBC) for 2006, 2003, and 2000 plus Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat 2004 and 1995 and codes related to accessibility guidelines. Off campus BSU users, use this link.

Landscape Architecture Subjects in CardCat

2009-02-26T15:42:00.004-05:00

Knowing the subject headings used in an article database or card catalog goes a long way towards making searches more productive. For example, CardCat uses Library of Congress Subject Headings such as these for topics in landscape architecture:

Garden structures
Landscape architects
Landscape architecture
Landscape design
Schools [and other building types]--Landscape architecture
Urban landscape architecture
Water in landscape architecture

Look for more subject headings in the Details for titles in search results.

Browsing for Books

2009-02-19T09:55:00.002-05:00

CardCat is the best place to go if you are searching for specific subjects, but what if you just want to browse the library stacks? In addition to the New Books and Featured Titles shelves, check out the call numbers below for popular items:

HT167 City planning in the United States

HT390-395 Regional planning

NA105-111 Preservation and restoration of architectural monuments

NA737 Architects and firms in the United States

NA2542.35 Environmental aspects of architecture, including topics in sustainability

SB469-476 Landscape architecture

SB481-486 Parks

TJ807-830 Renewable energy resources

Library Guide for First Year Students

2009-02-12T13:28:00.004-05:00

The new Architecture Library subject guide for First Year Students in CAP highlights the library resources best-suited to those in the first year program. The guide covers:

Top Research Resources
Course Reserves
How to Research a Building or Site
Current Periodicals
Reference & Histories
Images

For more of the Architecture Library's subject guides, see:

New Research Tool: MultiSearch

2009-01-30T11:04:00.009-05:00

New from the University Libraries, MultiSearch is a research tool that simultaneously searches up to 50 databases. Databases available for combined searching in MultiSearch include the Avery Index and others related to architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, and urban planning.
Use MultiSearch to:

Find article citations in multiple databases
Determine which databases are best for your search topic
Explore databases in other subjects

MultiSearch subject categories focus a search on databases in key areas. The Art & Architecture category searches the Avery Index and 10 other databases including CardCat.

Databases in MultiSearch: Art & Architecture

Academic Search Premier
America: History & Life
Art Index and Art Index Retrospective
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals
Business Source Premier
CardCat
Essay and General Literature
Gale Virtual Reference Library
JSTOR
Project MUSE
Web of Science (includes the Arts & Humanities Citation Index)

You'll find MultiSearch on these University Libraries web pages:

Urban Planning Subjects in CardCat

2009-01-12T11:51:00.004-05:00

Like many library catalogs, CardCat uses Library of Congress Subject Headings. While it is not necessary to search using these subject headings, it is helpful to know what keywords are used in the catalog. For example, "city planning" is used as a subject heading instead of "urban planning."

Examples of urban planning subject headings:

Cities and towns--[Place name]
City planners
City planning
City planning--Environmental aspects
Housing
Public buildings
Regional planning
Suburbs
Sustainable development
Urban beautification
Urban policy
Uban renewal

Winter Break Hours

2008-12-16T13:18:00.004-05:00

The Architecture Library and the Visual Resources Collection are open during Winter Break, Monday - Friday, with a few exceptions for the holidays. See below for the full story.

Going away for the break? Be sure to login to CardCat to review your library account, make sure none of your materials are due while you're away, and renewal materials online.

Architecture Library Hours
Dec. 13-19, Sat.-Fri. Regular Semester Hours
Dec. 20-21, Sat.-Sun. CLOSED
Dec. 22-23, Mon.-Tues. 7:30am - 6pm
Dec. 24, Wed. 7:30am - 3pm
Dec. 25-28, Thurs.-Sun. CLOSED
Dec. 29-30, Mon.-Tues 7:30am - 6pm
Dec. 31, Wed. 7:30am - 3pm
Jan. 1, Thurs. CLOSED
Jan. 2, Fri. 7:30am - 6pm
Jan. 3-4, Sat.-Sun. CLOSED
Jan. 5-9, Mon.-Fri. 7:30am - 6pm
Jan. 10-11, Sat.-Sun. CLOSED
Regular hours resume Monday, January 12

Visual Resources Collection Hours
Dec. 13-19, Sat.-Fri. Regular Semester Hours
Dec. 20-21, Sat.-Sun. CLOSED
Dec. 22-23, Mon.-Tues. 8am - 5pm
Dec. 24, Wed. 8am - 3pm
Dec. 25-28, Thurs.-Sun. CLOSED
Dec. 29-30, Mon.-Tues 8am - 5pm
Dec. 31, Wed. 8am - 3pm
Jan. 1, Thurs. CLOSED
Jan. 2, Fri. 8am - 5pm
Jan. 3-4, Sat.-Sun. CLOSED
Jan., 5-9, Mon.-Fri. 8am - 5pm
Jan. 10-11, Sat.-Sun. CLOSED
Regular hours resume Monday, January 12

New computers in the library

2008-12-03T12:23:00.003-05:00

The Architecture Library now offers 4 more computer workstations, bringing the total number of workstations in the library to 14. Dual monitors and all the software found elsewhere in the library are available on the new machines. The software includes:

ArcGIS Desktop
ArcInfo Workstation
ArcView 3.3
Athena Environmental Impact Estimator
AutoDesk AutoCAD 2009
AutoDesk Revit Building 8
GeoMedia Professional 6.5

The new workstations print to the library’s black and white printer (for free) or to the color copier/printer (25¢ a page).

Look for the new workstations on the north wall by the windows.

IBC available online to BSU

2008-11-14T08:50:00.003-05:00

Ball State University faculty and students now have access to the International Building Code online via the Architecture Library's subscription to MADCAD.com, an online resource that offers searchable, full-text access to the IBC and several other resources:

International Building Code 2006
International Building Code 2003
International Building Code 2000
Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat 2004
Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat 1995
ICC/ANSI A117.1 - 2003 (Accredited Standards Committee A117 on Architectural
Features and Site Design of Public Buildings and Residential Structures for Persons with Disabilities)
ICC/ANSI A117.1 - 1998
ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities ADAAG 2002
ADA Accessibility Guideliens for Buildings and Facilities ADAAG 1991
Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines 1991
Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards 1988

Be sure to use the link above or one of the MADCAD links on the library website to access this resource:

Architecture Library Articles & Databases

University Libraries Articles & Databases

Library Resources on Sustainability and Green Design--Articles

2008-10-22T11:34:00.003-04:00

Materials on the topics of sustainability and green design are on display in the library this month and available for check out. See below for tips on finding articles and databases:

Search the Avery Index for keywords such as:

sustainable
ecology
adaptive reuse
green architecture
sustainability
building materials and environmental aspects
energy conservation
recycling

BuildingGreen.com - Covers topics in sustainability and design. Online access to articles from Environmental Building News, the GreenSpec directory of building products, and a database of 100+ high-performance building case studies. Accessing off-campus? Be sure to click on the BuildingGreen.com link from a library web page to access via the BSU subscription.

Periodicals in the Architecture Library:

See the Architecture Library web site for more on finding articles & databases.

Library Resources on Sustainability and Green Design—CardCat

2008-10-17T10:08:00.007-04:00

On display in the library this month are materials on the topics of sustainability and green design. Below are some tips for finding library resources on these subjects in CardCat. Login to CardCat to place a Recall/Hold request on checked out items.

Search for Words or Phrases like these:

sustainab$ and limit to Architecture Library
[use truncation symbol $ to search for “sustainable” and “sustainability”]

Search for Subjects like these:

Architecture—Environmental aspects
Architecture and energy conservation
Building—Environmental aspects
Building materials—Environmental aspects
Buildings—Environmental engineering
Ecological houses
Green products
Green technology
Sustainable architecture
Sustainable buildings
Sustainable development
Urban ecology

Permanent Reserves

2008-09-25T15:25:00.004-04:00

Some high-use items are on Permanent Reserve in the Architecture Library. Ask for these materials at the Circulation Desk.

Titles include:

Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice. Call number: NA1996 .A496
Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice. Student ed.Call number: NA1996.A726 2002
Architectural Graphic Standards. 11th ed. Call number: TH2031 .A84 2007
Ching, Frank. Architectural Graphics. 4th ed. Call number: NA2700 .C46 2003
Entourage: A Tracing File and Color Sourcebook. 4th ed. Call number: NA2780 .B873 2003
The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design. 2nd ed. Call number: NA2542.36 .M46 2006
Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards. Call number: SB472 .L26 2007
LEED for New Construction. Version 2.2. Call number: TH880.N48 2007
Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings. 10th ed. Call number: TH6010 .S74 2006
Planning and Urban Design Standards. 1st ed. Call number: TH2031.P55 2006
Recording Historic Buildings. Call number: NA705 .H55
Time-saver Standards for Urban Design. Call number: HT166 .T47 2003

For a complete list, log in to CardCat, go to "Course Reserves," and search for "Architecture Library Permanent Reserves."

Architecture Library Subject Guides

2008-09-16T09:24:00.004-04:00

New this semester, the Subject Guides offer links to databases and research resources for Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, and Historic Preservation. You'll find the Subject Guides on the Architecture Library website, or click on the links below:

The Subject Guides are organized into tabs. For example, the Architecture subject guide includes tabs for:

Find Articles
Find Books
Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Information About Architects
History & Theory
Design
Codes & Standards
Images
Sustainability
Organizations
Internet Guides

New for Fall '08

2008-08-18T16:08:00.004-04:00

The summer months were busy here in the library! Among the new resources and services for fall 2008:

Color photocopier/printer
Videos now check out for 4 days
Subject guides for architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and historic preservation
New digital images in the Architecture Images Collection
Revised Architecture Library website
Direct link to list of Architecture videos in CardCat
Current Periodicals in the Architecture Library list
2 new journal titles: ‘Scape and Research Design Connections
Browsing guide posters
More electrical outlets for laptops
Laptop dataports

And, as always, the library offers:

27,000 volumes
100+ current periodical subscriptions
45,000 digital images
119,000 slides
Reference assistance
Course reserves
E-reserves
The Avery Index
BuildingGreen.com
CumInCAD
11 x 17 flatbed scanners
Slide scanners
Dual monitors
CardCat-only workstation
Free black-and-white printing
Laptop printing
Copy cards for purchase
Periodicals check out for 1 day (7 days if they’re more than 5 years old)
And, of course, the Architecture Library blog!

Now available in the Architecture Library...

2008-07-25T08:43:00.002-04:00

The Architecture Library now offers a color photocopier/printer! Library users may make color copies OR print to the color photocopier/printer from the workstations in the library.

Copies are 25¢ for 8 ½ x 11 and 11 x 17 copies and printouts.

The photocopier/printer accepts University Libraries Copy Cards. Copies are also 25¢ with the copy card.

University Libraries Copy Cards are available for purchase at the Circulation Desk Monday – Friday, 7:30am – 5pm, for $1 exact change. Copy cards are also available for purchase at Bracken Library.

Find Architecture Library Videos--Fast!

2008-07-18T09:05:00.007-04:00

Now there's an even faster way to get a list of the videos in the Architecture Library!

Simply go to Videos in the Architecture Library for a list in CardCat of DVDs and VHS in our collection.

Searching for a particular subject? Use the Videorecordings (All) MediaFinder to search for keywords or use the Advanced Search in CardCat to search for keywords and choose the FORMAT "DVD" or "VHS."

We are adding new videos to the collection all the time. Want to suggest a title? Use the Architecture Library Materials for Purchase form.

New Aerial Images in the VRC

2008-07-08T08:46:00.005-04:00

Each year the Visual Resources Center purchases new images to add to the Architecture Images Collection in the University Libraries Digital Media Repository (DMR). This spring 155 aerial images of Boston and Chicago were added to the collection. The images of the two cities were taken in 2007 for the image vendor Landslides.
To find these images in the DMR, search the Architecture Images Collection for "aerial photographs" and "Boston" or "Chicago." Remember to click on the link in the record to access the full-size image.

Going Somewhere? Part 2

2008-06-30T10:55:00.005-04:00

In addition to architectural travel guides the library has many titles devoted to cities and countries the world over. The easiest way to find these items in CardCat?

Type in the city or country name.
Select "Subject" from the drop-down menu.
Choose "Architecture Library" from the list of libraries.

You'll find materials in the Architecture Library about architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, or historic preservation in your chosen destination.

Browse our Online Journal Options

2008-06-19T13:24:00.007-04:00

Of course we love to see faculty and students browsing our current periodicals here in the Architecture Library, but we also have subscriptions that offer online options:

Architect

International Journal of Architectural Computing

Journal of Architectural Education

Journal of the American Planning Association

Journal of Planning Education and Research

Landscape and Urban Planning

Landscape Journal

Metropolis

Planning

Research Design Connections -- a new subscription for us

See also the Architecture Library's Current Periodicals List and the University Libraries E-Journals pages for more titles, and keep browsing!

Subject Databases, For Other Subjects

2008-06-09T14:12:00.006-04:00

Just as we have the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, the first stop for references to articles about architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning, other disciplines have their own subject databases. Working on a project involving a school, a sculpture garden, or a hospital? You might find some useful resources by searching an education, art, or health database.

Here are some examples, find more on the University Libraries Articles and Databases page. Use the drop down menu to see a list of the databases for the selected subjects.

If your topic relates to Education, try ERIC.
Healthcare design? Try Medline.
Sculpture garden or arts walk? Try the Art Index.
Historical house museum? Try America: History and Life.
If your topic is one that might appear in the newspapers try LexisNexis Academic--News and Access World News (includes The Star Press and Indianapolis Star).

Search tip: when searching another subject's database, use more general words (such as architecture, building, design, garden, park, or school) than you would in the Avery Index.

Going Somewhere?

2008-05-29T11:46:00.009-04:00

Summer means vacation time! The Architecture Library has a number of travel guides to help you plan your trips. Search CardCat for the keyword "Guidebooks" and limit to "Architecture Library" to find all of the travel guides in the collection. Add a keyword for a specific place to narrow your search.

If you are off to Europe this summer you may want to take a look at Gardens of Europe: a Traveller's Guide (by Charles Quest-Ritson, Garden Art Press, 2007: Call number SB466.E9 Q47 2007). Other new guides in the collection describe Montreal, Seattle, the Netherlands, and Washington, D.C.

Meier's Atheneum in the Architecture Images Collection

2008-05-21T09:06:00.006-04:00

Paging through the May issue of Architectural Record you may have seen the article on Richard Meier's Atheneum in New Harmony, IN. The Atheneum is the 2008 winner of the AIA's 25 Year Award, which honors a design that has "stood the test of time."

Ball State users can also find images of the Atheneum in the Architecture Images Collection in the DMR (Digital Media Repository)! Simply search for "Meier" and "Atheneum" to find images like these and more.

For more on the award, see the articles on the AIA or Architectural Record sites.

[Picture credits: David R. Hermansen, photographer; in the Architecture Images Collection.]

Historic Preservation Month

2008-05-16T09:37:00.003-04:00

May is Historic Preservation Month. Celebrate by reading up on preservation at the library!

Looking for books? Try these subjects in CardCat:

Historic preservation
Historic buildings
Architecture—Conservation and restoration
Buildings—Repair and reconstruction
Cultural property protection
Landscape protection

Looking for an article? Check out these databases:

See also the Architecture Library's Online Resources for Historic Preservation page.

And for more on Historic Preservation Month, see the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

MMFX at the IMA

2008-04-22T12:23:00.003-04:00

Now on display at the Indianapolis Museum of Art you'll find the Manufacturing Material Effects Exhibition. Designed by Ball State architecture students as part of an immersive studio, the exhibition opened at the museum March 28 and will be on display until June 6. I had a chance to see it last weekend and it is well worth a look!

Click here for information about the exhibition on the Institute for Digital Fabrication site.

Click here for information about the exhibition on the Indianapolis Museum of Art site.

Using "My Library Account" in CardCat

2008-04-17T09:28:00.007-04:00

The end of the semester means it is time to turn in or renew the library materials you have checked out. Some helpful tips:

Login to CardCat and choose "My Library Account" to see a list of library materials that are currently checked out to you.
Renew library materials online by logging in to CardCat and going to "My Library Account."
Library materials can be returned at the Architecture Library, Bracken Library, or the Science-Health Science Library (in Cooper).

Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Online

2008-03-31T12:16:00.007-04:00

The Muncie Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps are now available online in the Digital Media Repository: http://libx.bsu.edu/sanborn.php

The University Libraries copies of the maps from 1883-1911 were scanned to create the collection. Muncie maps from 1954 were not scanned, but they are available for viewing in the University Libraries Archives (Bracken Library Rm. 210). Microfilm copies of the Indiana maps are available in the University Libraries microform collection.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps were produced for insurance underwriters but they have become an invaluable historical record. Information on the maps includes building footprints color-coded by construction material, building use, house and block numbers, and measurements for buildings and streets.

Bracken Library has the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps on microfilm. Ask at the Periodicals/Reserves/Microforms desk for help finding and using microfilm. You can copy or scan images from the microfilm using the microform readers on 1 West in Bracken Library.

Select maps from other locations have also been digitized by libraries across the country. For example, the Indiana State Library scanned their 1887, 1897, and 1915 maps and made them available online at: http://indiamond6.ulib.iupui.edu/sanbornJP2/

Florence Cathedral and its Piazza

2008-03-21T12:12:00.006-04:00

Didn't go to Florence for spring break? Then you may want to take a look at this new CD in the Architecture Library's collection. It has information on much of the sculpture and artwork in the cathedral, but the best part is the 360 degree views inside the cathedral, the bapistry, the piazza, and the terrace.

A good way to gain a greater understanding of the layout of the cathedral and the piazza, the CD is also a cheap way to take a look around Florence!

Ask for the Florence Cathedral and its Piazza CD (call number: C1959) at the Circulation Desk. CDs check out for 2 weeks.

[Picture credit: David R. Hermansen, photographer. From the Visual Resource Collection's Architecture Images collection in the Digital Media Repository]

Spring Break Hours

2008-03-06T10:31:00.003-05:00

Yes, the Architecture Library and the Visual Resources Collection are open during spring break. However, our hours are slightly different and we will be closed a couple of days on the weekends.

See the hours pages for each location for the full story:

Architecture Library Hours page

VRC Hours page

And if you are off to a sunny locale for break, enjoy!

Finding Videos in the Library

2008-03-03T12:30:00.005-05:00

Looking for videos in the library? Choose the option that best fits your needs:

Look for the video by title in CardCat. Already know the title? Then type it in and go!

Look for all the videos in the Architecture Library by using the Advanced Search in CardCat by choosing DVD (or VHS) from the FORMAT drop-down menu and selecting Architecture Library from the LIBRARY drop-down menu.

Look for videos in Bracken Library or the Architecture Library using the MediaFinder for videos. Search by keyword, format, title, and more.

Browse Bracken Library videos by genre on the DVD/VHS Collections page.

Found your video? Ask at the Architecture Library Circulation Desk for our videos; ask at the Educational Resources desk for videos in their collection.

Remember, videos check out for 3 days.

Planetizen Top 10 Books of 2008

2008-02-28T11:26:00.006-05:00

Planetizen, the online "planning and development network," has put together a list of their top 10 books for every year since 2002. Between the Architecture Library and Bracken Library we have all the books for 2008 (and 2007 and 2006 and so on).

You'll find the 2008 list with call numbers below. Search CardCat for the books from other years and to check on availability.

Design Charrettes for Sustainable Communities by Patrick M. Condon
Call number: HT166.C62135 2008

Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the Future of America by Dowell Myers
Call number: BRACKEN JV6471.M94 2007
Last Harvest: How a Cornfield Became New Daleville by Witold Rybczynski
Call number: HT169.57.U62 N497 2007

Smart Growth in a Changing World by Jonathan Barnett, et al.
Call number: HT392.S558 2007

Sustainable Design: Ecology, Architecture, and Planning by Daniel E. Williams, et al.
Call number: NA2542.36.W548 2007

Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farr
Call number: On order for the Architecture Library

The Best-Laid Plans: How Government Planning Harms Your Quality of Life, Your Pocketbook, and Your Future by Randal O'Toole
Call number: HC106.83 O86 2007
The Great Neighborhood Book: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Placemaking by Jay Walljasper
Call number: HT166.W233 2007

The Option of Urbanism: Investing in a New American Dream by Christopher B. Leinberger
Call number: HT384.U5 L45 2008

Visualizing Density by Julie Campoli and Alex S. MacLean
Call number: HB1965.C25 2007

Remember, if a book is checked out you can log in to CardCat and place a recall on the book. You'll be notified via email when the book is ready to be picked up.

2008 Sustainability Summit and Library Resources

2008-02-20T11:48:00.009-05:00

On Thursday, February 21, Ball State will host the 2008 Sustainability Summit for Indiana Colleges and Universities. To find out more about the event, visit the summit web page.

What are some of the library resources on campus sustainability? Excellent quuestion!

LEED for New Construction, Version 2.2, 3rd ed. U.S. Green Building Council, 2007.Call # Architecture Library Permanent Reserve TH880.N48 2007

M’Gonigle, R. Michael. Planet U: Sustaining the World, Reinventing the University. New Society Publishers, 2006.
Call # Architecture Library LB3223.M48 2006

Barlett, Peggy, ed. Sustainability on Campus: Stories and Strategies for Change. MIT Press, 2004.
Call # Bracken Library LB3223.3.S89 2004

Creighton, Sarah. Greening the Ivory Tower: Improving the Environmental Track Record of Universities, Colleges, and Other Institutions. MIT Press, 1998.
Call # Bracken Library GE310.C74 1998

Proceedings from the annual Greening of the Campus conference held at Ball State.
Call # Architecture Library LB3223.3.G74

Search for these subjects in CardCat or WorldCat to find more:

Sustainable architecture

Architecture – Environmental aspects

Campus planning—Environmental aspects

Universities and colleges—Environmental aspects

Looking for articles? The Architecture Library subscribes to the Journal of Green Building and Green Source. For more articles search the Avery Index of Architectural Periodicals. ERIC, the education database, is a good source of information about schools and campuses.

And don't forget about BuildingGreen.com, which has articles from Environmental Building News, the GreenSpec Directory, case studies, and more. Be sure to use a link to this resource from the library pages so you can be logged on via the proxy server and get full access to content on the site.

Print from your laptop to a library printer

2008-02-13T11:29:00.008-05:00

Yes, it's true! Ball State students and faculty can print from their laptops to printers in the University Libraries. Your print job is sent offsite to a third-party server and then directed to the library printer of your choice. And yes, the Architecture Library printer is one of the choices.

Want to give it a try? Go to BSU Libraries Laptop Printing and follow the directions.

You may also want to check out the FAQ about this service. Why? For one thing, not all file types are supported and the FAQ page provides some tips and work-arounds.

Architectural Lighting Resources

2008-01-31T16:57:00.000-05:00

The 2008 Nuckolls Fund Lighting Lecture Series began this week with Jim Benya, who gave a talk about net zero and some of his lighting designs. Of course, my thoughts turned to related library resources!

Looking for books about energy conservation? Try searching CardCat for these SUBJECTS [hint—change the dropdown menu next to the search box to SUBJECTS]:

Architecture and energy conservation
Buildings, Energy conservation

If lighting is your interest, look for these SUBJECTS:

Daylighting
Exterior lighting
Interior lighting
Lighting, Architectural and decorative
Light in architecture

For articles, the library has several lighting journals:

Architectural Lighting
Lighting Design + Application: LD + A - Housed in Bracken Library
Professional Lighting Design

and several journals devoted to ecology and design:

Green Source
Journal of Green Building

Search the Avery Index for articles about lighting in these journals and elsewhere. You might also try the Applied Science & Technology Index.

The BuildingGreen Suite is another good resource for articles and information about sustainability, environmental concerns, and materials.

As for the Nuckolls lecture series, the next two lectures are:

David Eijadi - February 20, 2008 at 4pm in AB100 on “Daylighting Design.”

Gary Steffy – March 19, 2008 at 4pm in AB 100 on “LEDs: Eye Candy or Life Savers.”
.

Interlibrary loan the EASY way

2008-01-23T15:49:00.000-05:00

The easiest way to submit an interlibrary loan request? Make WorldCat and the article databases do most of the work for you!

When searching WorldCat, look for the “Request via interlibrary loan” link in the record for the book or other item.
If you are searching in an article database such as the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, the FindIt@BSU links will offer you a link to interlibrary loan as well.
What’s the advantage of using the links in WorldCat and other databases? Most of the information on the interlibrary loan request form will be filled out for you. No need to re-type the author, article title, journal title, page numbers, date, and so on.

If you do want to type out the request, you may log on to the University Libraries’ interlibrary loan system directly. You may also wish to log on and check the status of a request that has already been placed.

Dual Monitors in the Library

2008-01-14T13:06:00.000-05:00

No, you are not seeing double! The Architecture Library’s nine workstations now sport dual monitors.

These paired, 19-inch, wide-screen monitors offer users:

Plenty of desktop space to spread out their work
Lots of room to make easy comparisons between documents, images, and other files

Stop by the library and take a look, or a double take!

Architecture Library Open During Break

2007-12-18T11:23:00.001-05:00

Yes, the Architecture Library and the Visual Resources Collection are open during the semester break! See the hours pages on the Architecture Library and VRC web sites for the hours during break.

Regular semester hours resume on Monday, January 7th.

See What You Have Checked Out and Renew Items

2007-11-30T14:40:00.000-05:00

Near the end of the semester many students and faculty are interested in getting a list of the books they have checked out from the library. With the Login feature of CardCat library users can see this list online and renew items.

Simply Login to CardCat with your BSU username and password and look for the “My Library Account” link in the blue bar.

Don’t forget, the University Libraries are open over the semester break December 15 – January 6 (see the Architecture Library web site for our hours during the break). Library items may be due during this period and late materials will incur overdue fees.

Student Work on Display in the Library

2007-11-26T13:50:00.000-05:00

Visitors to the Architecture Library this fall will find on display: “To Picnic: Performing the Previous Use of a Space.” The photographs on view are the culmination of landscape architecture student Christopher Patten’s independent study with faculty advisor Cindy McHone.

Looking through the Sanborn Insurance maps on microfilm in Bracken Library, Patten discovered on the 1911 maps that a family home and backyard once occupied the site of what is now a defunct gas station in Muncie. Patten then set out to reenact the historic use of the site by staging photographs of a family picnic amidst the physical remnants of the gas station. Patten had in mind an audience of designers who might come to see that “[their] work is a stage along the process of that land's change.”

The Architecture Library offers several display areas with picture rails and hangers to accommodate two-dimensional works in a variety of sizes. Contact Amy Trendler, Architecture Librarian, AETrendler@bsu.edu, 765-285-5858, if you are interested in displaying work in the Architecture Library.

Arts & Humanities Citation Index in the Web of Science

2007-11-08T13:38:00.000-05:00

Don’t be misled by the name! The Web of Science includes the Arts & Humanities Citation Index as well as the Social Sciences Citation Index and the Science Citation Index. Ball State users have access to records from 1987 to the present in all 3 indices.

A record for an article in these indices will list both the works cited in the article and other works that cite the article. The "Find It @ BSU" links are available in the Web of Science, so you may also easily check to see if there is a copy of the article in the University Libraries, available online, or place an interlibrary loan request.

The house--theme for November Featured Titles shelves

2007-11-02T16:20:00.000-04:00

Houses are the subject of books on display this month.

Check out the books on the shelf, or search CardCat for subjects like these:

Architect-designed houses
Architecture, Domestic
Ecological houses
Historic houses, etc.
Housing

Looking for articles on houses? Check out the Avery Index or try America: History and Life. You'll find them listed on the Architecture Library's Datbases page.

Midwestern plants and trees

2007-10-23T09:29:00.000-04:00

The Architecture Library has a number of resources that focus on trees and plants in the Midwest. On the new books shelf this month:

Native Plants in the Home Landscpae: for the Upper Midwest by Keith Gerard Nowakowski. (Univ. of Illinois Extension, 2004).
Call number: SB439.24.M629 N69 2004

There are more titles in the stacks:

Native Trees of the Midwest: Identification, Wildlife Values, and Landscape Use by Sally Weeks (Purdue Univ. Press, 2005).
Call number: QK128.W45 2005

101 Trees of Indiana: a Field Guide by Marion T. Jackson (Indiana Univ. Press, 2004).
Call number: REFERENCE QK159.J24 2004

Prairie Plants of the Midwest: Identification and Ecology by Russell Kirt. (Stipes Pub., 1995).
Call number: QK128.K54 1995

Search CardCat for SUBJECTS like these to find more materials in the Architecture Library and Bracken Library:

Plant$ (use the truncation symbol to find “plant” or “plants”) and Middle West

Trees and Indiana

Planning Videos

2007-10-18T09:48:00.000-04:00

The Architecture Library's collection of videos includes urban planning topics. Some highlights:

Jane Jacobs: Urban Wisdom. Films for the Humanities, 2003.
Call number: DVD VIDEO 2908

The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. A film by William H. Whyte. Direct Cinema Limited, 1988.
Call number: DVD VIDEO 2765

Understanding Urban Sprawl. Films for the Humanities, 2004.
Call number: DVD VIDEO 2958

Ask for videos at the Circulation Desk. Videos check out for 3 days.

Transportation--theme for October Featured Titles shelf

2007-10-03T13:39:00.000-04:00

Now on display: books and videos that deal with designing and planning for various forms of transportation.

Check out the books on the shelf, or search CardCat for subjects like these:

City traffic
Local transit
Pedestrians
Roadside architecture
Terminals (Transportation)
Traffic engineering
Transportation, Automotive
Urban transportation

New in the library: Palladio’s Villa Cornaro

2007-09-27T11:52:00.000-04:00

The library’s copy of Andrea Palladio: Villa Cornaro in Piombino Dese edited by Branko Mitrovic and Stephen R. Wassell has just arrived. Published by the Acanthus Press, this volume is a detailed, documentary study of the villa. 14 large gatefold plates featuring plans of the villa are the highlight, but the photographs, data, and essays by the editors and others are also useful.

Call number: OVERSIZE NA1123.P2 A84 2006

Check CardCat to see if this title is checked out.
Login to CardCat if you would like to recall this title.

Search more than one EBSCO database at a time

2007-09-24T15:07:00.001-04:00

Did you know you can search more than one database the library accesses through EBSCO at once? Simply click on the “Choose Databases” tab.

OR use the dropdown menu below the search boxes to select the databases you want to search.

Some of the databases the library accesses through EBSCO:

Academic Search Premier
Business Source Premier (includes a number of urban planning titles)
Urban Studies Abstracts

See the entire list in EBSCO.

Sustainability--theme for September Featured Titles shelf

2007-09-12T11:06:00.000-04:00

On the Featured Titles shelf this month you'll find books on sustainbility and sustainable practices in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning. It's early in the semester, so all of the library's books on sustainability haven't been checked out yet!

Looking for a book that is checked out? Login to CardCat with your BSU username and password and you'll see a link to place a "Recall/Hold request" in the record for any book that has already been checked out. Look for the link in the left column of the record for the book, fill in the request, and you'll receive an email when the book is ready to be picked up at the circulation desk.

Architecture Library to Open at 7:30 a.m. Weekdays

2007-08-17T12:25:00.000-04:00

This fall the Architecture Library will be open more hours during the week in order to better serve faculty and student research needs. Starting August 13th, the Architecture Library will open at 7:30 a.m. on weekday mornings.

New Periodicals added to collection

2007-08-14T16:02:00.000-04:00

The Architecture Library has recently added a number of new architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning periodicals to the collection. You’ll find these journals and magazines on the current periodicals shelves in the Architecture Library unless otherwise noted.

See also Current Periodicals in the Architecture Library for a full list of titles in the collection.

306090 – Shelved in the Architecture Library stacks at call number NA1.A1 A15
Green Source
Healthcare Design
Journal of Green Building
The Plan
Professional Lighting Design
Topos : European Landscape Magazine

Several more titles are on order. Look for more new periodicals soon.

Login to CardCat now available

2007-08-14T15:59:00.000-04:00

No need to request a separate PIN to view your account in CardCat. Login with your BSU username and password while searching CardCat and you can:

Renew materials
Check due dates
Place holds
Check the status of holds and video bookings
Compile a list of titles to save or email yourself

You may also choose to search CardCat without logging in.

World cities is the theme for the Featured Titles shelf this August

2007-08-14T15:49:00.001-04:00

Books on Paris, Tokyo, Cairo, Mumbai, and cities around the world are on display in the Architecture Library during the month of August. Any of the materials on the Featured Titles shelves may be checked out.

If you are looking for books on cities in CardCat, simply search for city names (Hong Kong, Berlin, Montreal, etc.) as SUBJECTS. Choose the Architecture Library as a location to look for books in the library’s collection.

You’ll also find articles on world cities in databases such as The Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, Access World News, LexisNexis Academic—News, and PAIS International. See the Architecture Library databases page for links to these databases and more.

Pictured here: Paris: Contemporary Architecture by Andrea Gleiniger, et al. New York: Prestel, 1997. Call number: OVERSIZE NA1050.G57 1997