Library: Architecture & Civil Engineering: Search the literature

Library databases

These library databases act as indexes to many thousands of journals. Some include other types of information such as books, patents and conference papers.

Compendex via Engineering Village
Comprehensive engineering literature database - over 21 million records from 77 countries across 190 engineering disciplines. Coverage from 1884 onwards including journal, conference papers, and book series.

Video: Compendex - Numerical Search/Refine by Physical Property (6:05)

Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals
Search for articles from 325 current and 3,080 older architecture journals from around the world. This database includes more than 800,000 records covering architecture, city planning, conservation, interior design, sustainable design, landscape architecture and more. It also includes 20,000 citation records to architects' obituaries.

Video: Searching Avery Index for articles (9:51)

RIBA Library Catalogue
An indispensable source of information on all aspects of architecture and the built environment, containing over 215,000 records. It provides details of individual articles held within the RIBA's journal collection, so you can use it as a database to find papers on your topic in our own collections.
Business Source Complete
Provides full-text articles for thousands of scholarly business journals, practitioner journals and trade magazines. Includes access to Harvard Business Review from 1922.

On EBSCO's platform it is possible to search a number of education indexes in combination with Business Source Complete, for example, British Education Index, ERIC and Education Source.
Construction Information Service (CIS)
Database of full-text technical and regulatory information for the construction industry, including Joint Contracts Tribunal contracts. Our subscription features almost 30,000 documents from 469 publishers. Please note: this content is not indexed in our Library catalogue. See BSOL database for full text British Standards.
JSTOR
Full-text journal archive providing access to archival issues of journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences
Scopus
Index to journals and conference papers across all subject areas.
Web of Science Core Collection
Index to selected journals, conference papers and book series across all subject areas.

Web of Science Core Collection consists of the following databases:

Science Citation Index
Social Sciences Citation Index
Arts and Humanities Citation Index
Conference Proceedings Citation Index
Book Citation Index
Emerging Sources Citation Index
Current Chemical Reactions
Index Chemicus

Building projects databases

Detail Inspiration (Detail Magazine 1987-)
Search or browse more than 3,200 Detail Magazine building projects in English from 1987 onwards. For the more extensive German language content including original German PDFs, use the German language Detail database or print issues held on Level 3 of the Library at Per 72.
Detail Inspiration DE (Detail Zeitschrift 1962-)
Search or browse more than 5,300 original building projects from Detail magazine since 1962 (German language PDFs). Site navigation can be translated to English, for example, by using Google Chrome (right click then pick Translate to English), but keyword search in German only. The English language database contains the PDFs in English but not all issues have been translated or have an English equivalent.
Architects' Journal Buildings Library (AJBL)
Over 2,300 exemplar building projects (1900- current). Our subscription also provides access to AJ Online for selected magazine content.

What if the Library does not have the materials you need?

Inter-library Loans Service
If you find references to books, journals, articles or other materials we either do not stock in print or subscribe to online, you can request these via our Inter-library Loans Service. Each request costs the Library about £10 so please only order essential items. If you haven't used the service before you will need to register.

Current journal issues

A-Z Architecture journals

Video: Exploring key first year architecture journals (11:57)

How to do a literature search

Library Guide to 'How to do a Literature Search'

Subject Gateways
Professional Bodies
Supplier/Product Info

Abacus Construction Index
A directory of recommended online resources for UK architects, engineers and other construction professionals. Covers websites, online documents, case studies, newsletters, and UK construction legislation. No username/password needed.
archINFORM
This database for international architecture began life as a listing of interesting building projects by architecture students. It has since become the largest online database of worldwide architects and buildings from past to present. It concentrates on the architecture of the 20th Century. Information is provided in four languages, including English. Links to some full-text materials, journal websites, architectural practices and so on.
Designing Libraries
A database of descriptions and images of recent UK public library building projects.
Intute Virtual Training Suite: Architecture
Free tutorial for developing internet search skills and awareness of important high-quality websites and sources online. There are separate VTS for several other related disciplines.
Intute Virtual Training Suite: Civil Engineering
Free tutorial for developing internet search skills and awareness of important high-quality sites and sources online.
Planning Architecture Design Database Ireland (PADDI)
Database covering all aspects of the built environment and environmental planning in Ireland, north and south.
Structurae
An international database and gallery of structures, this site provides information on works of structural engineering and architecture. It also includes references to published work.
TechXtra
TechXtra is a search interface providing access to freely available full-text content from articles, websites, theses and dissertations, books, industry news, new job announcements, technical reports, e-prints, learning and teaching resources and the latest research, in engineering, mathematics and computing.

BANES Planning
This link goes to the Bath and North East Somerset Council webpage for Local Planning Policy and documentation. This includes links to the Local Plan, Local Development Framework, Core Strategy and other documents.
BANES Transport Plans and Policies
General information, strategy and planning.
BRE (Building Research Establishment)
Information on all aspects of the BRE's work in Research, consultancy, certification and training. Includes access to BRE's magazine 'Constructing the future'.
ICE Virtual Library
Browse publications of the ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers). The Library subscribes to several e-journals on this platform. These can also be found via our Library catalogue.
ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers)
The website of the Institution of Civil Engineers. News, meetings, publications, and access to the largest civil engineering and construction library in the UK.
International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC)
The International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) is an international group representing the consulting engineering industry. FIDIC publishes contracts and business practice documents, and guidance on implementation. The site includes information on the federation's work, publications, meetings and events.
Magic
Interactive UK maps online with links to data. Content provided by a variety of government partners including Historic England, DEFRA and more.

Barbour Product Search
From the publishers of the print Barbour Compendium this is a fully searchable database of products and suppliers for the construction industries. It includes images, case studies, technical data, catalogues, news and project data.
Building Conservation
Produced by the publishers of the Building Conservation Directory, this website gives information on products and services, courses and events, articles and book information on building conservation. Print copies of the Directory are held in the Library.
IHS Specify-it
Search a database of products, suppliers and manufacturers. Contains over 850,000 full-text catalog pages as well as data sheets and guides from UK suppliers.
Ribaproductselector
ribaproductselector is the online version of the printed RIBA Product Selector directory for specifiers and other construction industry professionals. The online directory gives access to 20,000 trade names, 7,800 manufacturers,1,000 structured technical papers in PDF format, and 1,000 advisory organisations. It also includes technical product data and product catalogues for manufacturers, keyfile data sheets, details of RIBA CPD assessed material, Agreement Certificates, and NBS clauses in NBS Plus. Content is updated weekly.
SpecifiedBy.com
Free website for product information and data - search 4,000 products from around 300 manufacturers.