SJSU Research Guides: Architecture: California Architecture

California Room

To find information about California architects and architecture, use books, journals, and materials in the Library's 5th floor Special Collections, and in the California Room.

Journal Literature

History journals and local newspapers can be helpful for finding information about local architecture. For example, a useful journal for researching California builders and buildings is called California History.

Newspapers

ProQuest Historical Newspapers The San Francisco Chronicle
Offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue. (1865-1922). From Jan 1, 1865 to Aug 31, 1868, known as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle; From Sept 1, 1868 to Aug 14, 1869, known as Daily Morning Chronicle; and from Aug 15, 1869, known as San Francisco Chronicle. Help Guide
U.S. Newsstream
From ProQuest: Users may search the most recent premium U.S. news content, as well as archives from the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, blogs, and news sites. Content includes access to the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and co-exclusive access (with Factiva) to The Wall Street Journal. Also included: CBS News 60 MInutes, US Hispanic Newsstream, US Major Dailies, US Midwest Newsstream, US North Central Newsstream, US Northeast Newsstream, US South Newsstream

Online Reference Tools

Pacific Coast Architecture Database
The Pacific Coast Architecture Database (PCAD) includes a range of information on the buildings and designers of California, Oregon and Washington.
Great Buildings Collection
This gateway to architecture around the world and across history documents a thousand buildings and hundreds of leading architects, selected over ten years by the editors of ArchitectureWeek, with photographic images and architectural drawings, integrated maps and timelines, 3D building models, commentaries, bibliographies, web links, and more, for famous designers and structures of all kinds.
SAH Archipedia
SAH Archipedia is an authoritative online encyclopedia of the U.S. built environment organized by the Society of Architectural Historians and the University of Virginia Press. It contains histories, photographs, and maps for over 20,000 structures and places.

Architecture

Librarian

Books

California Room

Journal Literature

Newspapers

Online Reference Tools