Performing Arts

Librarians at Schaffner Library on the Chicago campus have compiled the following list of Fine and Performing Arts resources that can be obtained from the Schaffner Library print collection or accessed remotely through one of the computers at Schaffner Library (or from your home). These resources are designed to answer basic questions in Fine and Performing Arts as well as serve as a jumping off point for further research. The journals listed here contain some of the most current research in the field.

Materials from the Main Library in Evanston can also be obtained for your use. You can either come to Schaffner and fill out a Book Request Form or an Article Request Form, or you can use the online forms from Schaffner’s Web site at http://www.library.northwestern.edu/schaffner/book.html (for book requests) and http://www.library.northwestern.edu/schaffner/article.html (for article requests).

GENERAL DATABASES

Academic Search Premier
This multidisciplinary database provides citations and abstracts from nearly 2,900 scholarly journals, as well as full text access to over 1,200 journals. Users can search in a number of ways including, author, title, subject, geographic terms, company entity, journal name, and ISBN. The advanced search feature lets you narrow your search down to type of publication, document type, or by date. Another special feature of this database is its ability to search for images.

Expanded Academic ASAP
Covering current affairs, humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences, this database has citations, abstracts, and some full text from over 1,000 periodicals, including some popular magazines such as People, Time, and Newsweek. Searching can be done by subject and subject subdivisions, as well as by keyword and journal title.

JSTOR
JSTOR offers historical access to back runs of core scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, most going back to a journal’s first issue. Users can search by keyword, limiting their search to journals in a particular field, by author or by journal. JSTOR users can also limit their search to articles, reviews, opinion pieces, or other materials.

PCI Full Text
PCI provides complete historical coverage of selected journals in the humanities and the social sciences from 1770-1995. Many of the journals PCI provides access to are no longer published. In addition to English, this database also provides access to articles in a number of Western European languages. Users can search by keyword, article title, author, journal title, language, and journal subject.

Web of Science
Despite its name, Web of Science is a database of arts & humanities, social sciences, and sciences articles. Users can search by topic, author, journal title, or cited reference. The database also provides access to the Social Sciences Citation Index, the Arts & Humanities Citation Index, and the Sciences Citation Index. These indexes allow users to search for references within articles.

Wilson Select Full Text Plus
This database has citations, abstracts, and full text articles from a number of scholarly and non-scholarly periodicals in the humanities, social sciences, general sciences, and business. Users can search by keyword, subject, author, and title. They can also limit searches to articles, reviews, and literature. Wilson Select Full Text Plus also provides access to non-English language publications. Finally, users can limit their search to items that are provided full text or items that are held in the Northwestern University Library collection.

PERFORMING ARTS DATABASES

ARTbibliographies Modern
Artbibliography Modern covers contemporary and modern art from the late 19th century through the 20th century. Types of art studied are installations works, crafts, artists’ books, and video art. Materials cited are in English, French, and German although users can limit their search to English language materials. In addition to searching by keyword, title, and journal name, users can search by gallery name or file format.

International Index to the Performing Arts
Included in this database are citations and abstracts to articles about the performing arts, such as dance, theater, film, comedy, puppetry, and storytelling. Also included are citations to performing arts related articles in the New York Times and the Washington Post. Citations focus primarily on recent articles, however, there are citations going back to 1864 for 46 periodicals.

BOOKS

The following are a selection of general print resources available at Schaffner Library. However, Schaffner can obtain books from the Main Library in Evanston. Patrons need to fill out the “Book Request Form” available in the Schaffner Library or on the Schaffner Library Web site.

Cambridge History of American Theatre
Call number: 792.0973 C1783
Reference Collection
This three volume set provides a history of American theater and includes information about writers, directors, performers, and designers. The volumes are divided by time period and include an index at the end of each volume.

Careers in Entertainment
Call Number: 790.2023 C271
Schaffner Reserve
This vocational guide highlights several career options that are available in the entertainment profession including the performing arts, the motion picture industry, and television broadcasting.

World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre
Call Number: 792.03 W927
Reference Collection
Schaffner Library has three volumes of this set covering Europe, the Americas, and Africa. This encyclopedia introduces the reader to theater in the region and is divided by country. After the discussion of each country is a brief bibliography.

EBOOKS

Performing Process: Creating Live Performance
A collection of essays, this title examines the link between creating a performance itself and the presentation and reception of a performance.

WEB SITE

A Brief Guide to Internet Resources in Theatre and Performance Studies
This Web site is a bibliography of resources related to the performing arts that can be found on the Internet.