About arlis.net

Introduction

The arlis.net service is designed to help users to locate art, architecture and design publications, plus related materials. The service currently includes a database of periodical titles (or magazines / journals / serials), a related directory of art library resources in general, and links to other sources of information. The periodicals database, the directory of library resources and the links to other sources are all described in more detail below.

Periodicals database

The arlis.net periodicals database provides details of around 18,000 magazines on art, architecture and design. The database is compiled from information supplied by more than 90 academic, public, national and special libraries throughout the UK and Ireland. For each periodical, the database gives a summary of the issues held by each library.

Directory of resources

The periodicals database is linked to a related directory of the art, architecture and design resources available in some 250 libraries, archives and other collections throughout the UK and Ireland. The directory provides a range of useful information, including postal addresses, web site addresses, opening hours and other details about access. It also indicates the subject areas covered by each organisation.

Other sources

arlis.net includes a list of other useful sources in the UK and Ireland or elsewhere. The list includes library catalogues, periodicals databases, and sources of information about artists' papers or auction house sale catalogues.

Credits

arlis.net is maintained by the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, for the Art Libraries Society (ARLIS/UK & Ireland). The National Art Library also hosts the periodicals database.

The University of Ulster is also a partner in the service, which was supported by the British Library's Co-operation and Partnership Programme and the Research Support Libraries Programme (RSLP).

The arlis.net directory software was developed by Adaptive Technologies, who also host the directory database.

The arlis.net logo, bookmark and postcard were designed by Michael Munday, who also supplied the (hitherto unpublished) text for the (somewhat fictitious) article used in the publicity for the service.

Further information

For more about the background to the arlis.net project, see:

Dodds, D. & Cook, A. The National Art Library, ARLIS/UK & Ireland and the Union List of Art, Architecture and Design Serials. The Serials Librarian, vol. 32, nos. 3-4, 1997, pp.127-137. ISSN 0361-526X

Stead, Miranda. Love's labours... creation of a union list of art, architecture and design serials. Art Libraries Journal, vol. 27, no. 1, 2002, pp.36-39. ISSN 0307-4722

Dodds, D. arlis.net. ARLIS News-sheet, no. 159, Sept/Oct 2002, p.3. ISSN 0308-809X

For more information, contact:

Douglas Dodds
Head of Central Services
Word and Image Department
Victoria and Albert Museum
London SW7 2RL
UK

Tel +44 (0)20 7942 2397
Fax +44 (0)20 7942 2394
Email d.dodds@vam.ac.uk