Research & Writing

Library

Learn more about PAFA's history and collection. The library works in conjunction with the archives to offer research services for scholarly means.

Below you will also find links to helpful online resources for helping you write a paper, do research, visit local art libraries, and more.

Archives & Research Services

Learn more about PAFA's history and collection. The library works in conjunction with the archives to offer research services for scholarly means.

PAFA Archives

The archives and special collections serves as the institutional memory of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA).

PAFA Archives Research Service

Remote Research Request is defined as research utilizing archival collections facilitated by Museum staff via mail, email, or telephone at the request of an outside party. Use the "Contact Us" form at the bottom of this linked page to submit a request.

Writing A Paper

Below you will find links to writing-related information, including how to cite your work, how to evaluate information found on the web, and how to recognize and avoid plagiarism.

Reference Resources

Dictionary of Visual Symbols

More than 1,600 articles about 2,500 Western signs, arranged into 54 groups according to their graphic characteristics.

Getty Vocabularies

The Getty vocabularies contain structured terminology for art, architecture, decorative arts, and other material culture, archival materials, visual surrogates, and bibliographic materials.

Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body

Features 1,247 vibrant engravings—many in color—from the classic 1918 publication, as well as a subject index with 13,000 entries ranging from the Antrum of Highmore to the Zonule of Zinn.

Area Libraries

Tri-State College Library Cooperative

The Tri-State College Library Cooperative (TCLC), an organization of over 45 college and university libraries, including Moore College of Art, The Barnes Foundation, Saint Joseph’s University, and Villanova University. PAFA students in good standing may borrow directly from any of its member libraries.

Free Library of Philadelphia

The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the 13th-largest public library system in the United States, and has 54 library locations, as well as numerous digital holdings.

A Free Library card is available at no cost to anyone who lives, works, pays taxes, or goes to school in the City of Philadelphia. In addition, anyone who lives in the state of Pennsylvania can obtain a Free Library card without charge.

Moore College of Art and Design, Connelly Library

Borrowing is allowed through TCLC. Please check the Access Policy before you go.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum Library

The Library is open to the public with a Researcher’s Pass which can be obtained for free from the guard at the Perelman Building entrance. The Library is a closed-stack (non-browsing), non-circulating collection. Borrowing is not permitted. Digital images may be taken with a camera, cell phone, or tablet, as long as the flash is turned off and no tripod is used. Additionally an overheard book scanner is available free of charge. Researchers may bring their own portable USB or save to the cloud.