ART Library Search Tips

“Finally, you made it—welcome! I’m so glad you’re here for this virtual reference session. To get the best experience from your visit today, take a moment to listen to my message below. I’ll walk you through how to make the most of our virtual library and archives. Let’s get started!”

Download Art Library Search Tips

“Scroll to the bottom of the screen to search using two options: ‘Search’ or ‘By Month.’ You can also browse our archives using the ‘Month’ option at the bottom of the screen.”

🔍 Tips for Exploring the ART | library deco Archives

Whether you’re researching African American artists, curators, or cultural memory projects, our archives are rich with digital collections, exhibitions, essays, and multimedia features. Use these tips to make your exploration easier and more productive:

🗝 Search by Keyword

Use our search bar (top right corner of the site) to enter specific names, themes, or topics.

Examples:

Artists: Lillian B. Horace, Betye Saar, Kehinde Wiley
Themes: Black archives, Afrofuturism, Community memory, Visual storytelling
Genres/Subjects: Poetry, Hip Hop Information Literacy, Oral history

💡 Tip: Use quotation marks for exact matches. For example:
“Lillian B. Horace” will return more accurate results than Horace alone.

🗂 Search by Month & Year

Want to discover content based on when it was published or featured?

Scroll to the Archives dropdown in the sidebar or footer.
Select a month and year to view everything posted during that time.

Examples:

May 2023 – Explore featured exhibitions and multimedia releases.
February 2024 – View posts related to Black History Month initiatives.

💡 Tip: This is a great method for researchers doing chronological studies or seeking to understand the evolution of themes over time.

🧠 Combine Methods for Deeper Discovery

Looking for articles or exhibits featuring Black Women Writers in 2021?
Try:
Search: “Zora Neale Hurston”
Then filter by: 2021 under Archives.
Want to find everything about Afrofuturism curated in the last two years?
Search Afrofuturism and sort through the archive months from 2023–2025.

🔎 Search Our Cultural Keywords

🎭 Search Black Art & Culture Themes

📬 Stay Connected

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Don’t forget—you can become an ART Library Patron to receive updates and access new content and collections as they’re published. Sign up at: Become a Member.