Research Guides: Drama: Find Design Information

Image Resources

Databases
Books

AP Images
Images that have been used in the Associated Press (AP) since 1844. Excellent for finding pictures of historical events, people in context, and stock photography.

Artstor Digital Library This link opens in a new window
A searchable database of digital images (digitized and born digital) covering many time periods and cultures and spanning areas of architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, design, anthropology, women’s studies, and other forms of visual culture. This database allows you not only to search and view images in high resolution quality, but also the ability to download, save, and organize images.
In order to save or download images, users must create an account.
Berg Fashion Library This link opens in a new window
Contains ebooks, essays, encyclopedias, and images to allow the researcher to explore how clothing has influenced and been influenced by society. Covers a wide range of time periods and cultures.
Commercial Pattern Archive This link opens in a new window
Provides thousands of different commercial clothing patterns originally published between 1868-2000. Includes advanced searching that allows one to easily find patterns for specific types of clothing from different time periods.
Requires active UCINet ID to login and obtain username and password for the resource.

Digital Public Library of America
Cross searches many of the publicly available materials that have been digitized by libraries in the United States. You might be amazed by the some of the small town finds you find here...
Historical Magazines
This links to another page that lists most all of the historical magazines that are provided by UCI Libraries. Depending on your needs, you can find some really amazing pictures of people and places from about 1860-present.
Illustrated London News (1842-2003)
This is a PHENOMENAL weekly newspaper from London because it not only has factual/societal information, but it also has a plethora of illustrations. Its original concept to focus on accompanying illustrations was to sell more papers because people wanted to see the news and not just read about it.
LIFE Photo Archive
Millions of photographs used (and not used) in LIFE Magazine. This publication documented daily (generally American) life. Main coverage is 20th century until the 1970s, but also includes a good amount of late 19th century materials.
Museum of the City of New York
Almost 250,000 images of items held by this illustrious museum. Collections of particular note include the mid-20th century women's garments, hand fans from multiple centuries, and tens of thousands of pictures of early 20th century Broadway productions.
New York Public Library Digital Collections
Over 750,000 images digitizes from the NYPL collections. Includes prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, and many many more.
Newspaper Navigator
A tool from the Library of Congress that is specifically for locating images in American newspapers from 1900-1965. It's SO MUCH EASIER to find these images using this tool, rather than searching in the newspaper archives themselves and sorting through all the articles. NOTE: This doesn't include all newspapers.
Smithsonian Digital Collections
Only a small amount of the massive Smithsonian collections are available online, but what is here is VERY high quality. One can search in many different ways, but one of the main highlights in my opinion are the online exhibits that help you delve deeply into a specific topic.
Trade Catalogues and the American Home
Full color scans of American consumer catalogs from 1850-1950. Use it to find pictures and descriptions of tons of household objects such as washing machines, vacuums, lighting, clothing, home decor, toys, etc. A veritable treasure trove of information (both visual and written) on how Americans lived during this 100 year time span.

The Vogue Archive This link opens in a new window
An archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month, and including pages, advertisements, covers and fold-outs. This archive preserves the work of the world's greatest fashion designers, stylists and photographers and is a record of American and international fashion, culture and society from the dawn of the modern era to the present day.
Women's Magazine Archive I This link opens in a new window
A collection of women's interest magazines from the 19th century through present. Topics include consumer culture, economics/marketing, family life, fashion, gender studies, health and fitness, home/interior design, popular culture, and social history.

Browse SUBJECT headings in UC Library Search to find books about a particular subject. The following are basic subject headings that can be subdivided down many ways including by geographic location, time period, and sub-genres.

For example: Clothing and Dress
- Geographic subdivision: Clothing and Dress Africa
- Time Period: Clothing and Dress 20th century
- Genre: Clothing and Dress Catalogs

Clothing and Dress
Used for utilitarian/daily clothing
Costume
Used for clothing on the stage/screen or created for artistic purposes
Fashion
Used for style
Interior Decoration
Stage Lighting
Theaters Stage Setting and Scenery

Factual Resources (e.g., Culture & History)

Culture
History

The following links are all specific resources:

Countries and their Cultures
**ebook** Information generally given at the country-wide level. Focuses more on the way of life and the issues affecting them. Information is more contemporary (late 20th century) rather than historical.
Encyclopedia of World Cultures
**ebook** Describes more than 1500 global cultures. Generally provides social, political, linguistic, and religious information.
Everyday Life & Women in America (c.1800-1900)
Cover political, social and gender issues, religion, race, education, employment, marriage, sexuality, home and family life, health, and pastimes.
Gale eBooks
A small collection of ebooks that are focused on historical facts. Excellent for getting a sense of what happened in various times and locations, major social themes, etc.
Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Folklore and Folklife
Four volumes divided by geographic region. Generally covers daily life and culture of specific areas.
Oxford Reference Library
Contains hundreds of encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference ebooks on a wide variety of topics. Good place to browse through titles to find resources that might be helpful.
Oxford Research Encyclopedias
Oxford Research Encyclopedias include dozens of high quality, peer reviewed encyclopedias on a wide array of topics. These articles can be extremely helpful to better understand the context and background in which music has appeared. Examples of topics covered in this platform include: African History; American History; Asian History; Latin American History; Psychology; Religion; etc.
Twentieth Century Advice Literature
Handbooks, manuals, textbooks, etiquette guides, self-help books, instructional pamphlets, and how-to books.
Women's Magazine Archive
Includes magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, and Parents from the 19th to 21st centuries. Particularly good for examining how "the normal woman" live her life and what ads were being pushed at her.

The following are searches to bring up items on a specific subject. Will include both physical and electronic items:

Clothing and Dress History
Ethnology Encyclopedias
Manners and Customs
National Characteristics
[Name of country] Social life and customs
[Name of country] Civilization
Greenwood Press "Daily Life through History" series

The following links are all specific resources:

The People's Chronology
Provides many of the major historical happenings broken down by year. Sub-divisions in each category include Political events; Human rights; Commerce; Exploration; Religion; Literature; Art; Theater/Film; and Population.

The following are searches to bring up items on a specific subject. Will include both physical and electronic items: