Call numbers for Theater

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Find a Book

• Material in reference is useful to begin your research or find quick information.
• Check the catalog and the Theater Databases.
• If you find an item at ASU or UNCA, use our ABC Express service.
• There are several options available for obtaining material that is not located in Hunter Library. Click here for a list of free services.
• You can also search in WorldCat or in bibliographies. WorldCat is an online database and will provide you with a list of items in libraries in the USA and abroad. You will need to use the interlibrary loan service to get the items not at ASU or UNCA.
• Is your research taking too long? Ask for help.

Tips to search the catalog

• Know the difference between keyword and subject searching.
• Enter keywords that describe your topic.
• The library catalog accepts both theater and theatre.
• Click on the subject heading to anything in the catalog about your topic.
• Use synonyms and related terms for different results.
• Use the * to search for word variants. For example, photograph* searches for photographers, photographic, photographs, photography, etc.
• Too few results? Broaden your search by removing keywords or using a more general term.
• Too many results? Narrow your search by adding another keyword or using a more specific term.

Subject Headings Search

Subject Headings allow you to search library catalogs for materials on a particular topic. Often Subject Heading searching can be more productive than searching by simple keywords.

Listed here are some examples of subject headings of interest for theater:

• Acting--auditions
• Actors
• African American actors
• Architectural acoustics
• American drama
• Authors and theater
• Costume
• Dance
• Drama
• Drama--history and criticism--
• Gesture
• Monologues
• Performing arts
• Set designers
• Scene painting
• Stage machinery
• Stage management
• Theater
• Theater and society
• Theater architecture
• Theaters--sound effects

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Bibliographies

Are useful lists of important research resources and often include an annotation with critical descriptions.

Bibliographies cover the literature over a longer period, providing in-depth research that can lead to other resources. Some bibliographies explain research strategies and methodologies.

Examples of subject heading searches are:

• Drama--Bibliography
• Drama--History and Criticism--Bibliography
• Theater--Bibliography
• Drama--20th century--history and criticism--bibliography (can substitute different dates)
• American drama--history and criticism--bibliography (can substitute different subjects, e.g., English drama)

Bibliography of the American Theater, Excluding New York City
GEN Z1231.D7 S8

Drama Criticism
REF PN1601 .D59

Library of Congress Performing Arts Reading Room Internet Resources for Music, Theater and Dance

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Find Media

You can find the media collection in the Curriculum Materials Center (CMC). Hunter Library outlines borrowing policies for audio, video, and multimedia. In addition to browsing, you can also search the collection using the catalog.

To search for videos and DVDs in our media collection type “film and [your topic]”. Example: film and theater.

A list of items will come up. From the scroll down menu (where you limit your search by institution), select DVD/Video and then click search again. This search will limit your search by medium, but will not limit the search to WCU.

Please note that ASU and UNCA have different lending policies for audio/video material.

A selected list of new visual material is available here. This list changes monthly.

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