There are 4 main entry points to search the catalog:
Keyword, Title, Author, and Subject

A sound search strategy uses multiple approaches to find information on a topic.


Search by KEYWORD
Keyword searches are an easy entry point to searching the catalog.
We use natural language when searching by keyword - it's the usual way we search the internet.
The catalog searches the entirety of each record for keywords in this type of search.
Look at an individual record for your keywords highlighted in red.

example search: Keywords= interior AND architect*

TIP: Use truncation to find all variants of keywords. It results in a more comprehensive search and is a fast way to locate plurals of the root word.

Truncate the root of a word with an *asterisk.
architect* = architect, architects, architecture, architectural, etc

Once a relevant title is found, use the subject links in an item's record
to find other related books and media. This is a good way to uncover additional items on your topic.

Search by TITLE
Use this when you know the exact title of a book, exhibition catalog, or journal. 
example:  Brilliant Line: following the early modern engraver, 1480-1650
                 Print Quarterly

Advanced Search
The catalog's Advanced Search offers additional combinations.
Search by Location to find items in specific collections within the Library.
example: kw = furniture design* + Location: RISD Special Collections
or Location: Reference

Search by AUTHOR
Think of the ARTIST as AUTHOR of his/her own work.
Author searches locate monographs of the artist's work and an artist's writings.
example: Hadid, Zaha  (last name, first name)

Further refine the search by location, material type or format.
example: Author= Mies van der Rohe

Select 

Limit to Location = RISD Special Collections

Think of the Museum or Gallery as AUTHOR
Author searches will generate a list of publications by Galleries and Museums.
example: Museum of Fine Arts Boston
                Independent Curators International
        

Search by SUBJECT
Locate and scan the list of subject headings on your topic to discover new facets. Use this as part of the brainstorming phase of research to gather vocabulary terms and related subjects. Subheadings within a broad subject can focus one's search.

Note the subject headings that are most relevant to your search. Re-use them to search the library's article and image databases.
example: Interior Architecture (three related subjects)

Finally, search an artist's name as Subject to locate titles not written by the artist but treating some aspect of the artist's work as a subject.
example: Subject= Mies van der Rohe

SEARCH BROWN from the RISD/ATH Catalog
Once an initial search is done in the RISD/ATH Catalog

you'll see the icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

By selecting  you'll be transferred to Brown's catalog; your search query will be repeated  and a list of Brown's holdings will appear.