Journal Articles & Databases
PrattCat is the database to use to find books or periodicals (also called magazines and/or journals) that Pratt Instute Libraries owns. The other databases are used to search for specific articles within journals. Sometimes we will have the articles available in full-text within the database, other times they will be in print. There are also journals and articles you will find in our databases that we do not have access to in full-text or in print. In those cases, you will either want to visit a nearby library to see the article or else request it through InterLibrary Loan. More information on ILL can be found here: http://library.pratt.edu/services/interlibrary_loan/
Remember that you can always ask a librarian at the reference desk for help in locating articles.
Some Useful Databases
The library catalog lists books and journals, not the chapters or articles inside them.
To find articles on a particular topic, use electronic databases (periodical indexes).
Make sure you write down the full citation (including Journal title, volume, number, month, year), so that you can find the article within a print or electronic journal and cite it later.
This is not a complete list of the databases Pratt subscribes to. This is only a sample of some databases that may be relevant to your topics. For the full list, please see the Articles and Databases page.
- Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new windowThe most comprehensive listing of journal articles on architecture and design, history and practice of architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation and interior design and decoration. Indexes articles from nearly 800 US and foreign architectural journals published worldwide, 75% of which are not indexed in any other source. Includes articles from previous electronic version as well as records converted from Avery Library card file, with records dating from the 1860s to the present.
- Building Green This link opens in a new windowProvides media and information resources including the award-winning Environmental Building News, BuildingGreen Suite of online tools, GreenSpec directory of products, and LEEDuser web tool.
- DAAI: Design and Applied Arts Index This link opens in a new windowThis database will be especially good for case study research and researching new green methodologies.
- GreenFILE This link opens in a new windowA database which focuses on the relationship between human beings and the environment. Comprised of more than 600 scholarly and general interest titles, as well as government documents and reports. It offers a perspective on the positive and negative ways humans affect the ecology. The total number of records is approximately 295,000, and full text is provided for more than 4,600 records from open access titles. Also included in GreenFILE is a 6,800-term Thesaurus.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowJSTOR provides access to over 12 million academic journal articles, books, and primary sources in 75 disciplines. JSTOR also includes the Artstor Digital Library, which contains over 2 million images from institutions around the world.
- Material ConneXion This link opens in a new windowAn online database of over 1,400 materials and processes of the latest materials typically unnoticed or difficult to reach by the design community. For architecture, interiors, furniture design, sports related design, consumer product design, apparel, automotive design, aerospace, military, medical, environmental design.
- Science Direct Social & Behavioral Sciences College Edition This link opens in a new windowA great database to use for scientific & environmental research.
- Urban Land Institute Case Studies (Requires Pratt gmail to sign in) This link opens in a new windowA collection of case studies profiling proven projects that are financially successful. Provides project data on costs, rents, and more. Identifies innovative features and strategies.
- Urban Studies Abstracts This link opens in a new windowCovering essential areas related to the study of cities and regions, this database explores such topics as urban affairs, community development, urban history and other areas of key relevance to the discipline.
