Library

The ASD library web pages allow direct links to the following electronic resources: Art Abstracts/Barbour Index/ Digimap/Grove Dictionary of Art/ RIBA Library Catalogue/Technical Index: Construction Information Service/Technical Index: Specify it - Building

The DASD periodicals collection is located before the faculty's book stock on the second floor of the Learning Centre. Duplicate copies of eight periodical titles are held in the Materials Library at Spring House.

Library materials in Architecture and Interior Design are housed mainly on the second floor of the Learning Centre in an area designed for quiet study and near dedicated catalogue terminals and networked computers. In close proximity to the collection there are also video and DVD playback facilities. The stock consists of approximately: Books:12,000/Periodical titles:40/ Maps: 500/Audio/ Visual 800/ Stand Alone CD ROMs: Avery Index; BRE Publications; Casabella Index 2004-2005

A full description of all resources available for ASD can be found at: Architecture and Spatial Design

Technical Library

The Technical Library, housed within ASD Projects on the third floor, provides an extensive technical resource. Information on materials, equipment, technical processes, products and general reference information is available online, hardcopy and as material samples. The ASD Librarian manages the Library. There is also a small collection of books and key journals with the most recent issues kept in the Spring House Café. The Cafe is open throughout the academic year. It also provides space for small exhibitions and computers offering web access.

Systems and Services

Help and advice, including workshops, are offered in such areas as graphics, photography and video and a service for the production of slides, photographs, overhead transparencies, simple artwork, recording of off-air broadcasts and copying of audio and video tapes is also available, subject to copyright.Equipment such as cameras and camcorders are loaned to students on relevant courses following appropriate training. There are three analogue video-edit suites for student use located within Ladbroke House, with digital video editing available within Spring House on the Apple Macintosh computers using Premiere and/or iMovie.

When a course requires training in particular techniques or facilities, workshops and demonstrations are arranged in accordance with tutors and course timetables. A university wide Media Development Manager facilitates training in photography, darkroom techniques and video usage (camera + analogue editing).

Workshop

The Workshop is a substantial resource that all students use throughout their time on the course. There are facilities for working in wood, metal, plastics and various casting processes.

Also on the ground floor are the Heliodon and Artificial Sky, equipment for recording and evaluating the qualities and impact of light onto or into a building that you are designing.
Photographic Dark Rooms and technical support for computers and photography are available here too.