Textiles: A Research Guide

Searching for Books

Books provide background information, definitions, and data from past research on your topic. Bibliographies that list additional reference sources are often given at the end of each chapter or at the close of the book.

Use DELCAT, the University of Delaware Library's online catalog, to locate books on your research topic. If you have trouble identifying appropriate subject headings, try a keyword search or ask for assistance at the Reference Desk.

Examples of DELCAT Subject Headings

Cotton Textiles
Textile Fabrics
Textile Industry
Textile Workers--United States--History
Wool

Textile Industry Guides

The ATI Directory: The Textile Red Book. Atlanta: America's Textile International. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TS1312 .A86): A directory of U.S. and Canadian textile mills, U.S. and international suppliers, U.S. government agencies, textile associations, and U.S. textile schools.

Davison's Textile Blue Book. Ridgewood, New Jersey: Davison Publishing Co (annual). LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TS1312 .B6): Supplies information on companies connected with the textile industry. The listings are arranged by geographic location.

Standard and Poor's Corporation. Standard and Poor's Industry Surveys. New York: Standard & Poor's Corp. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref HC106.6 .A1 .S73): A basic survey of many U.S. industries including the textile, fabric, and apparel industries. Four issues per year.

Textile Source Database of Textile Companies
LOCATION: Internet (http://www.textilesource.com/)

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Parker, Julie. All About Cotton: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook. Seattle: Rain City Pub, 1998. LOCATION: Morris Library (TS1582 .P37 1998)

Parker, Julie. All About Wool: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook. Seattle: Rain City, 1996. LOCATION: Morris Library (TS1625 .P37 1996)

Encyclopedia of Textiles. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1980. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TS1445 .A18): A source of information on textiles and the history and origins of the textile field.

Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles. 7th ed. New York: Fairchild Publications, 1996. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TS1309 .F34): A dictionary of terms used or once used in the textile industry.

Humphries, Mary. Fabric Reference. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TS1445 .H85 2000)

Jerde, Judith. Encyclopedia of Textiles. New York: Facts on File, 1992. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TS1309 .J47 1992)

Searching for Journal Articles

Journal articles are an important source of current information on your topic. Articles on a particular topic can be identified by using the Library's electronic databases at http://www.lib.udel.edu/db/. Some databases provide the full text of the articles they index; some give only the citation you need to locate the print journal in the UD Library (author, title of article, journal title, date, and page numbers). If the database does not provide the full text of the article you need, check DELCAT to see if the Library owns the journal that published the article.

Current issues of journals will be shelved alphabetically in the Periodicals Room next to the Reference Room. Older issues of journals are shelved by their call numbers in the book stacks on the second, third, and lower levels of the Library. Many journals are available via electronic subscriptions. Access the electronic journal via its URL in DELCAT or go to the UD Library's list of electronic journals at http://www.lib.udel.edu/db/ejrnls.html.

Printed Indexes and Databases

America: History and Life LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): Bibliographic database covering the world's scholarly literature in history (United States and Canada), with some links to full-text articles in JSTOR. "America: History and Life includes article abstracts and bibliographical citations of reviews and dissertations on the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistoric times to the present."

Art Abstracts/Art Index Retrospective LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): "Citations and abstracts to articles in periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins relating to archaeology, architecture, art history, city planning, crafts, films, graphic arts, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture, museology, photography, and related fields."

Chemical Abstracts (SciFinder Scholar) LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): "The Chemical Abstracts (CA) database includes a broad spectrum of technical and scientific information, including biochemistry; physical, inorganic, and analytical chemistry; applied chemistry and chemical engineering; macromolecular chemistry; and organic chemistry."

Clothing and Textile Arts Index. Monument, Colorado: Sandra S. Hutton. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TT507 .C567): A specialized index on topics related to clothing and textiles. Available only for 1983-1993.

Expanded Academic ASAP Plus LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): Expanded Academic ASAP Plus provides indexing from 1980 to present for magazines and journals in a broad range of subject areas. The full text of many articles can be viewed and printed. Searches can be limited to refereed publications (scholarly journals).

General BusinessFile ASAP LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): An index to articles in business magazines and journals. The full text of many articles can be viewed and printed. The coverage is 1982 to present.

Historical Abstracts LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): Historical Abstracts includes article abstracts and bibliographical citations of books and dissertations on the history of the world, except the United States and Canada, from 1450 to the present.

Rug and Textile Arts: A Periodical Index 1890-1982.Washington, D.C.: G.K. Hall for the Textile Museum Library, 1983. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref TS1445 .A77x): Index to information sources on rugs and textile arts on microfiche.

Textile Technology Digest. Charlottesville, Va.: Institute of Textile Technology. LOCATION: Morris Library (TS1300B .T48) LOCATION: Morris Library - Computerized service by request at Reference Desk: Provides an index to current periodicals, books, journals, and pamphlets in the field of textile technology. The printed volumes are available for the years 1968 to 1996. The electronic version is a Dialog database which may involve a fee. Contact Associate Librarian Linda Stein for details.

World Textile Abstracts. Manchester, England: Shirley Institute. LOCATION: Library Annex (TS1300B .W66) LOCATION: Morris Library - Computerized service by request at Reference Desk: Indexes scientific and technical literature related to textiles, fibers, and the textile industry. The printed volumes are available for the years 1969 to 1997. The electronic version is a Dialog database which may involve a fee. Contact Associate Librarian Linda Stein for details.