How current is the Avery Index?

The Avery Index staff add new articles daily. Depending on your subscription provider, these will appear either weekly or quarterly. Some journals such as Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians (JSAH) and Architectural Record are indexed within days of receipt at Avery Library.

How far back does the Avery Index go?

The oldest record dates to 1741. The majority are from 1890-present.

How often are new periodical titles added to the list?

We add approximately 10 new journals per year.

How do I recommend a periodical for inclusion in the Avery Index?  

If you believe a periodical should be included in the Avery Index, please contact use the form listed in the Suggest a Journal for Inclusion section of this page. The editorial staff will evaluate it and determine whether we can add it to the journal indexing list.

What is the best/simplest way to begin searching in the Index?

It is best to begin your research with keyword searches, especially for older records, which are often very brief, with no summary or subject headings.

How do I search for individual architects?

The best way to search for individuals is by keyword or subject (e.g. Gehry).

How do I search for architectural firms?

The best way to search for firms is by keyword or subject (e.g. Renzo Piano Building Workshop).

How do I search for a particular building?

The best way to search for buildings is by keyword (e.g. Orsay and Paris).

I'm looking for plans of a certain building. How do I do that?

Search the building as a keyword and then see if your particular search-engine allows you to limit for illustrations. If it does not, you will have to look at each record retrieved by your search to see if there is a "plan" listed in the illustrations.

I only want articles in English. How do I do that?

Do whatever search you want and then see if your particular search-engine allows you to limit by language.

Once I find citations in the Avery Index, how do I get the articles?

Search your library catalog by journal title to see if they subscribe to the journal. If your library does not own the journal, ask for an interlibrary loan of the article.

Some institutions have a full-text SFX service which allows you to click on a “search full text” button and connects you to various full-text vendors such as JSTOR, Proquest, etc. If there is full text available, you will be taken to the article. If you are a Columbia student, faculty or staff member, look for the e-Link icon and link.

Why isn't the full text article right there in the Avery Index?

We are exploring the various possibilities of digitizing articles or having instant links to other full-text databases that include some of our journal list.

Why aren't there any images of buildings in the Avery Index?

The Avery Index is not an image database. Please check image databases for building images.