Find Basics - Performing Arts (Theater and Dance) Resources at Cleveland Library

Subject Course Guides

Find Books

Theater and Dance books can be found in various areas of the library.
GV Dance, Choreography

ML Music, Musicians, Musical Theater

PN Theater, Comedy, Acting

TT Costume Design

GV's are shelved on the upper level of the barn, ML and PN are on the main level, TT on the lower level. Don't forget to check the Oversize and Reference Collections on the library's main level.
Try using "Subject Browse" from the drop-down menu with one of the following search terms:
•    Choreographers
•    Comedians
•    Dancing
•    Jazz dance
•    Theater
•    Musicals
•    Drama in education
•    Ballet
•    Costume Design
•    Acting

or try your own words in a general keyword search. If you are searching for books on a particular artist, search by last name, for ex. Fosse, Bob.

Library Catalog

Find online books and specialty encyclopedias for Performing Arts

Start here for some background information about your artist or creative work. These resources will provide some historical and cultural context and help you figure out what key words to use when searching for articles and reviews.

ABC-CLIO E-Books
search for your artist or browse subjects . . . popular culture, music and performing arts . . . these are e-books, available anytime (even when the library is closed).
African American Experience
Search for background information on African American artists in the visual and performing arts.
American National Biography Online
Biographies of prominent Americans
Cambridge Guide to Theatre
This online encyclopedia is part of the CREDO Reference database . . . also available in print in the library Reference collection.
Grove Art Online
A specialty database for art and art history, includes biographies, subject entries, images and timelines
Credo Reference
Colby-Sawyer's answer to Wikipedia! Lots of specialty encyclopedias about music. Click on Find a Book and scroll down to Music for a listing of titles.
Oxford Reference: Performing Arts
Online access to specialty encyclopedias about the performing arts.
Pop Culture Universe
click on DECADES for links to overviews essays about particular topics and time periods. A great place to browse for topics

Find Print Encyclopedias for Performing Arts

Most of these are Reference Books that must be used in the library . . . find reference books on the main level, towards the back of the building, after you've passed by the HelpDesk, Archives, and the stairway to level 5.