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