The library is open to holders of the following cards during our open hours. Please note: Special Collections and Archives require appointments.
Call or email if you would like to confirm current policies. If you have one of the above cards and cannot enter through the outer building door, call the Public Safety booth at (401) 427-6916.
Others needing access to RISD's specialized resources must make an appointment in advance with a Research Librarian.
Visitors under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent, teacher or guardian.
Access to the Providence Athenaeum: Show your RISD ID for access to the Athenaeum.
Access to Brown University Libraries: Show your RISD ID to access Brown libraries and register for a borrower account. Please be sure to have a working RISD Library account in good standing. Access to Brown's electronic subscription databases is available on-site via designated visitor computers at the Rockefeller and Sciences libraries. We continue to recommend using our Interlibrary Loan service to request items not locally available at RISD or Brown. See Brown's full policies here. Please contact a Research Librarian if you would like assistance on the RISD side.
Other questions? Email us at library@risd.edu.
Your library account enables off-campus access to library databases as well as tools for managing your checked-out items. The VPN provided by IT Services also enables library database access - we recommend it to anyone who uses them frequently!
Get started: Visit the library homepage and click "My Account" in the top right corner. Follow the instructions on the screen.
Your Library Account login is your RISD email login.
Still having issues? Reach out to us: researchhelp@risd.edu
Formulate your questions: are you interested in background information (culture, history, geography, etc.), scholarly discussion of a topic, technical guidance about writing, inspirational material? Where do you think this information might be published -- books, journals, magazines, newspapers?
The Fleet Library collection is heavily focused on art and design topics. Members of the RISD community also have borrowing privileges at the Providence Athenaeum and Brown University Libraries.
If you are having any trouble finding what you need, please get in touch with us!
Books:
Articles:
Citation & Style Guidelines:
Library of Congress call numbers for literature (RISD and Brown both use the Library of Congress system)
P - General Language and Linguistics
PA - Classical Languages and Literature
PL - Languages and literature of Asia, Africa, Oceana
PN - Literary Criticism, Drama, Journalism & more
PQ - Romance literature (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese)
PR - English Literature (includes former commonwealth such as South Africa)
PS - American Literature
PT - German, Dutch, Scandinavian literature
PZ - Children's literature
Librarians are available to help students research a topic. Make an appointment at the RISD Library Research Help Desk or by emailing a librarian directly. We're available to meet with individuals or groups. This meeting will help you clarify your ideas, provide ways to approach your topic, and identify key terms, print and online resources, and search strategies to help get you started and save time.
A meeting with a librarian usually lasts 15-30 minutes depending on the scope of the topic. You are always welcome to make follow-up appointments.