Tracing articles in journals, periodicals, magazines
Traditionally the best way to find references to articles is by using published Abstracts and Indexes, which catalogue the contents of individual issues of journals. RUDI is developing its own database of useful references to articles (and books), but access to others is now available via the Web or on CD-Rom. Some external subscription only services which are useful for urban design are:
IDOX (UK) – IDOX Information Service – formerly The Planning Exchange Information Service. This is used by both large and small companies and organisations, from the public, private and voluntary sectors, to complement and add capacity to in-house research and information gathering. It covers all aspects of regeneration and development: community; economic; environmental; and physical. Access to the IDOX Information Service is by annual subscription and provides users with single point access to up-to-date and reliable information on current practice and policy from a very wide variety of sources.
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals (USA)
(Is international in scope and covers urban design, landscape and planning)
ICONDA (International CONstruction Database) (GER)
(Includes urban design, planning and landscape information. To subscribe contact irbdirekt@irb.fhg.de)
Urbadisc CD-Rom (EU)
(Contains 9 databases compiled by the Research Library at the Greater London Authority and French, German, Italian & Spanish organisations, all containing abstracts of articles and books about urban issues, including design, landscape, regeneration and planning. To subscribe to the service contact rlinfo@london.gov.uk)
You can use a valuable FREE online resource provided by the Royal Institute of British Architects:
RIBA British Architectural Library Catalogue Online (UK)
(includes articles and books. RIBA will supply photocopies of articles from journals and books on demand.)
Also FREE is PADDI (Planning Architecture Design Database Ireland), a bibliographic database produced in collaboration by the Architecture and Planning Libraries of Queen's University Belfast and University College Dublin, which covers information on all aspects of the built environment and environmental planning in Ireland, north and south.
Newspaper articles are useful too…
Current issues in urban design are often covered in national and local newspapers. Newspaper web sites include most stories carried in the papers.
UK national newspapers - quick links:
Other newspapers, including worldwide and local – link to NewsDirectory.com
Getting hold of articles (full text)
In addition to the suppliers noted above, copies of articles can be obtained through your local public libraries, although this may take longer. In case of difficulty, RUDI is happy to advise on sources for articles – email: info@rudi.net
