FindIt@Bham, the University of Birmingham library catalogue, is mainly for finding books and journals, including items in the Research Reserve and Cadbury Research Library. This is freely available but only members of the University will be able to login to the full content of online journals and databases.
Because of the Barber Fine Art Library's high shelves and because the way in which books have been classified has changed over the years, we recommend that you use FindIt@Bham to find a specific book or to find out which books we have, before looking on the shelves.
- Books in the Barber Fine Art Library will have the location Barber Fine Art Library Collection
- Books in the Barber Fine Art Library shelved in the quick reference collection in the Small Reading Room will have the location Barber Fine Art Library Reference
- Books in the Research Reserve will have the location Research Reserve [RRART]. You can request these via FindIt@Bham
- Rare books will have the location Cadbury Research Library Art Collection. You must make an appointment to consult these in the Cadbury Research Library.
There are card catalogue drawers in the Main Reading Room, but there is no need to use them as the contents are all listed in FindIt@Bham. The are however useful to staff for stock checking and they add to the atmosphere of the room.
The large room on the right of the entrance holds:
- Books with shelf marks N and to ND
- Large books known as quartos, on the wall opposite the door
- Print only journals which are found under the windows.
The smaller room on the left of the entrance holds:
- Books from ND to NX
- Dictionaries, encyclopaedias, yearbooks and guidebooks.
- Printer/photocopier and PCs. One PC is for searching FindIt@Bham which lists all books in the library.
Please note that all books belonging to the Barber Fine art Library are for library use only.
How the books are classified and arranged
The library uses the Library of Congress classification system. The basic categories are:
- N: Visual arts
- NA: Architecture
- NB: Sculpture
- NC: Drawing, design and illustration
- ND: Painting
- NE: Print media
- NK: Decorative arts
- NX: Arts in general
Library guides and resource lists