Resource in Focus: Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals

The platform is created by the Getty Research Institute and is a comprehensive guide to current literature of architecture and design.

It contains the bibliographic data of over 2500 journals and publications from professional associations. So it’s perfect if you’ve got a topic, some keywords, a building name or architect or material. It also provides over 13,000 citation records for architects’ obituaries

This is a major resource for the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape.

This 4 minute video covers logging in, searching and filtering your results.

Resource in Focus: Bloomsbury Architecture Library

We’ve decided we like this platform so much we have created a short 4 minute video highlighting it’s key features, how to access and search.

On the platform you can choose to search or browse by theme or use interactive features such as the visual timeline and world map. The timeline puts the world’s key buildings and architectural history in perspective. It provides context for movements, themes and periods throughout 5,500 years of history.

Users can click on the images to discover more, with links through to the Building Pages and in-depth reading via reference articles and book chapters.

The resource contains Sir Banister Fletcher’s Global History of Architecture 21st edition. This covers 5,500 years of architecture right up to the present day. From abacus to ziyada, the Sir Banister Fletcher Glossary contains over 900 key architectural terms, clearly explained and defined. The glossary covers a complete range of technical, design, and historical terms, including non-English language vocabulary, and serves both as a core reference resource and an invaluable primer to enhancing the reader’s understanding of global architectural history.

There are descriptions of major buildings together with 2,200 photographs, drawings and building plans.

The platforms also contains 42 eBooks.

We like this resource as there’s no Digital Rights Management, you can create your own log in to bookmark or save content and there are lots of options to search so easy if you’re looking for geographical information or from a specific date range or keyword or topic or person.

Access to Bloomsbury Architectural Library via our catalogue.

Resource in Focus: Architects Journal Buildings Database

The AJ Buildings Library is a digital database that showcases more than 1,900 exemplar projects, most from the last 20 years but including major projects back to 1900.

This is a core resource for the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape.


You can search for projects by age, cost, architect, building type, footprint, location, and a combination of these.

We like it as each project featured includes full project data (more than 20 items of information) and comprehensive architectural photographs and drawings (plans, elevation, section) – all provided at high resolution.

This 3 minute video covers:

  • How to set up an account on the AJ website so that you can access Buildings
  • How to access and log in
  • How to search

To access for free you will need to set up an account first.

Quick instructions (or watch the video above)

  • Access https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/ and click on the Log in/Register.
  • Then click on the Register New Account button, and you should see a form to complete your details and choose a password.
  • You should receive an email indicating you have registered.
  • Then access  https://www.ajbuildingslibrary.co.uk
  • Click Sign in and use the details from the AJ to access AJ Buildings Library.