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Concise Guide to Information Sources in Textiles

How to find out

Searching for Information

How to use and cite information

Using / Citing

Lists of books and other materials

Catalogues

Background Material

Reference Sources

Lists of companies, suppliers, etc.

Directories

Finding articles, reports etc.

Online Resources

Lists of locally held ...

Periodicals/Newspapers

Finding dissertations/theses

Research

Fashion/Textile Forecasting

Fashion Intelligence

Keeping up to date

Current Awareness

Info. Files, Microforms, etc.

Special Collections

Sources of information

Statistics

Slides, Videos, Internet, etc.

Visual Resources

Companies/professional bodies etc.

Organizations

Problems/need help?

Further information

For details about accessing online resources, including information about the Heriot-Watt "Private Virtual Network" please click here.
 

Searching for Information

  • Select your topic carefully (if given a choice at all!).  Choose a subject or theme that interests you, and on which you are likely to find information - you probably won't have time to carry out original research yourself!
  • Start your search for information early. It may take longer than you expect to identify resources, to find them in this or another library, and to make use of  them once you have obtained them.
  • Analyse the topic or assignment, making sure you understand what you are being asked to do.  If not, go back to your lecturer or tutor, or ask for help at the Enquiry Desk in the Library
  • Consider any limitations on the type or range of material which you require. Are there any limitations on the age of material which will be useful? Are there any physical or geographical limitations? How much time do you have to spend in your search for information?
  • Decide how comprehensive the search must be. Do you want everything on your topic? If this is the case case you may wish to check every type of resource covered in this guide. However, for some topics or approaches, you may be able to exclude some sections and types of material.
  • Prepare keywords to use when searching the catalogue, online resources, search engines, etc.  Think of synonyms and other words that might be used to describe your subject.  You might need to use more technical terms (e.g. "apparel" for clothing) to search some of our specialised resources effectively.
  • Select appropriate search tools, starting with the most general (such as the Library Catalogue) and moving to the more specialised (such as World Textiles).  Always read the search help page or tips page before using a resource the first time - you might save yourself a lot of time and get more relevant results!
  • Carry out your search, "refining" it, if necessary.  You could do this by using connecting words (also known as "Boolean" operators), such as "and" or "&" or "+", depending on the service you are using, to connect keywords.  This should provide a more targeted search.  With some services, there may be no need to use connectors - they may be provided for you, and all you have to do is enter your key terms in the search box/es.
  • If you are using a full-text service, remember to print out or take the bibliographic details of any documents you wish to use as a reference or source for your assignment.  If you are using an index, you will need to find out if the Library has the full text of any documents you wish to consult.  To check this you will have to refer to either the Library Catalogue (for documents such as books, conference proceedings, etc.) or our lists of periodicals (for periodical articles).  If you cannot obtain a hard copy of a document from our collection, or an online copy of it, you might want to consider requesting it through our Inter-Library Loan Service.  You need to register for this, and may have to purchase a voucher from the Library Service Desk for each item you request.
  • Search as many resources as you think may be relevant to your enquiry, and remember to note down the bibliographic details (e.g. author, title, etc.) of any relevant items.  You will need these not only to find the documents on the shelves, in an online service, or to request an inter-library loan, but also to use in your list of references and/or bibliography.  See below for further details.
  • If you need help in planning your research, or searching for information, please come to the Enquiry Desk.  The Library Manager can assist you in person, by telephone (on 01895-89-2241), or by email.  Do make use of this important part of the library service!
     

Further sources


If you would like to learn more about this topic then have a look at the following:

General Research Resources - support4learning

http://www.support4learning.org.uk/education/research_skills_.cfm

 

Internet for Art, Design & Media

http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/tutorial/media

How to do Research - Kentucky Virtual Library
http://www.kyvl.org/html/tutorial/research/infosources.shtml

On Track - Research skills training online from Southampton Solent University
http://www.solent.ac.uk/library/ontrack/

 

Visualizing Research : a guide to the research process in Art and Design - companion website of book of the same name by Carole Gray and Julian Malins

http://www.visualizingresearch.info

 


 

Using information

 

Using the work of other authors

        From The Central European University

        http://www.ceu.hu/writing/sources.htm

 

References, bibliographies and plagiarism

        From The Open University

        http://library.open.ac.uk/help/helpsheets/cite.html

 

Student Guide to Plagiarism

        From Heriot-Watt University Academic Registrar's Office

        http://www.hw.ac.uk/registry/resources/PlagiarismGuide.pdf

 


Citing References

Note all bibliographic details in full as you find them, even if you are not sure how useful they might be. Also, keep a note of where you find your references (e.g. in "World Textiles"): you may need to provide this information if you apply for an inter-library loan.  Keep your references in a database, card file or notebook.  With some online services, and on our Library Catalogue, there is a facility to generate a file with details of the item/s you have found (e.g. in format for printing, saving or emailing), and you could copy and paste the details into a file with other references you have found.

If you make a photocopy, make sure that you keep a note of the bibliographical details of the article or book pages you copied, in case you wish to cite the reference for your project or dissertation.  It can be very time-consuming or sometimes impossible to track the details down later!

Your School or Tutor may recommend a particular method for citing references, in which case you should be guided by them.  Some of the Library's books on "Study Skills" have information about citing references.  Most of these can be found at class number 371.3.  There are also standards recommended by official bodies such as the British Standards Institution (BSI).  These standards include BS 1629:1989 (Recommendations for references to published materials) and BS 5605:1990 (Recommendations for citing and referencing published material).  They can be accessed at BSI Online.  The quickest way to find these standards is to copy and paste the standard number and year into the "Search" box (e.g. 1629:1989 and 5605:1990 respectively).
 

Further sources

The following web pages provide a useful introduction to the topic of citing references:

Citation Machine

        A clever online tool that will turn your bibliographic data (Title, Author, etc.) into a standard reference

        http://citationmachine.net/

 

Citing References: a guide for users (5th edition)

           compiled by David Fisher and Terry Hanstock of the Law School of Nottingham Trent University

           http://www2.ntu.ac.uk/llr/library/citingrefs.htm

 

A Guide to Harvard Referencing

        From Leeds Metropolitan University

        http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/lskills/open/sfl/content/harvard/

 

How to Cite References

        From biz/ed

        http://www.bized.co.uk/reference/studyskills/references.htm

 

Cite References

        From The Open University

        http://library.open.ac.uk/help/helpsheets/cite.html

 


Catalogues

  • The Library Catalogue is a database of the books, journals, and other materials held in the University Library system.  It covers stock held in the Martindale Library, the Edinburgh Campus Library (including the Arco Library in the Petroleum Engineering Department), and the departmental library in the International Centre for Island Technology on the Orkney Campus.

The Catalogue should be the starting point for any "literature search".  Books provide a useful overview of a subject, and often include "references", which indicate other sources of information on the subject.  The Library purchases many of the key text books relating to textiles, so you should find a comprehensive selection available through the Catalogue.

 

Tip: When looking at the details of an item in the Catalogue, look at the "Subject" field.  If you click on this link, it will take you to the relevant section of the alphabetical subject index.  You can use a link from the index to view all other titles on the subject.  Please note that this only apples to titles held in the Martindale Library.

  • Publishers' catalogues provide a lot of information about current and recent titles:-

    • Amazon often provides descriptions and reviews of its books, as well as links to similar books on the same subject.

    • Berg, as well as publishing their own texts, now act as distributor for the US-based Fairchild Books.

    • Blackwell's, which has a shop on the Edinburgh Campus, through which you can order personal copies of books, also has an online catalogue which allows you to browse by subject category, such as "Art and Design".  "Design" includes the sub-category of "Textile & Costume".

    • The Textile Institute has an online catalogue of its own publications called Textile Titles of the World [not to be confused with the joint Textile Institute/Blackwell's printed publication of the same name! - see below].

    • Textile Titles of the World, shelved at 677 TEX in the Quick Reference Collection of the Martindale Library, provides comprehensive details of titles published by The Textile Institute, together with relevant titles from other publishers.  It was published as a joint effort between The Textile Institute and Blackwell's Bookshops.  The most recent edition of the catalogue was published in September 2002.

    • Woodhead Publishing has a growing portfolio of Textile Technology publications, including some key journals

    • World Textile Publications have a range of publications focused on the textile and apparel industries.

     

  • Specialist bookshop catalogues can provide detailed information about books, journals and other specialised publications:-

    • R. D. Franks Ltd. is a long established retailer of fashion books, magazines and trend publications; their online catalogue provides descriptions of many of the publications they stock under very specific subject headings, such as "Accessories", "African Design", "Art Deco/Art Nouveau", etc.

  • One of the largest catalogues in the the world is the British Library's "Integrated Catalogue", which lists details of over 12 million documents, including books, journals and conference proceedings.

  • If you are doing research, you may wish to consider using the National Library of Scotland and applying for a readers' ticket.

  • Most libraries do not lend to non-members, but the following are exceptions:

    • Edinburgh College of Art Library may let you borrow provided you register using your Heriot-Watt matriculation card.  Please note, however, that you are personally responsible for ensuring that anything you borrow is returned on time - we do not have any delivery arrangements with them - and they are not open at weekends.

    • The Fine Art Library, which is located on the top floor of  the Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, contains the most extensive public collection of printed material on art and design in Edinburgh.  If you wish to borrow, you will need your Heriot-Watt matriculation card and confirmation of your place of residence.

Tip:  If you find something of relevance through searching publishers', retailers' or other libraries' catalogues which the Martindale Library does not hold, you can make a suggestion for us to purchase it, or you can request it through the Inter-Library Loan Service.


Reference Sources

The following items are only a sample of what is available in the Quick Reference Collection

Fashion:

  • Contemporary fashion / edited by Richard Martin (746.920922 CON); see also Fashion Encyclopedia (http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com)

  • The fashion book (746.9203 FAS)

  • Fashion now: i-D selects the world's 150 most important designers / edited by Terry Jones and Avril Mair (746.920922 JON)

  • In an influential fashion: an encyclopedia of nineteenth- and twentieth- century fashion designers and retailers who transformed dress / by Ann T. Kellogg and others (746.9203 KEL)

  • The St. James fashion encyclopedia: a survey of style from 1945 to the present / by Richard Martin (746.9203 MAR)

  • Twentieth century fashion: 100 years of style by decade and designer, in association with Vogue / by Linda Watson (746.9203 WAT)

Textiles:

  • The Cambridge history of western textiles / edited by David Jenkins (746.8 JEN)

    Vol. 1 Parts I -III: Textile Industries of the Ancient World to AD 1000 - The Early Modern Period

    Vol. 2 Parts IV - V: The Nineteenth Century  - The Twentieth Century

  • Encyclopedia of textiles (677.003 ENC)

  • Encyclopedia of textiles / by Judith Jerde (677.003 JER)

  • Textile terms and definitions (677.003 TEX)

  • Twentieth century fashion: 100 years of style by decade and designer, in association with Vogue / by Linda Watson (746.9203 WAT)


Directories

The following items are only a sample of what is available in the Reference sections of the Martindale Library (Quick Reference Collection on the Ground Floor and Microform Collection on the First Floor).

For details of clothing companies and suppliers, refer to:

  • The Directory of UK Textile Industries (677.025 DIR)

  • Index to Textile Auxiliaries (677.0283 IND)

  • European index of Yarns and Fibres (677.02862 EUR)

  • Fabric Buyer's Directory 2002 (677.02864 FAB)

  • British Clothing Industry Yearbook 2003 (687.025 BRI)

  • The Fashion and Textile Information Directory 2000-2001 (687.025 FAT)

  • The Fashion Index 2000; the complete sourcing guide to the UK clothing industry (687.025 FAS)

For information about fashion designers, refer to:

  • London College of Fashion Designer Files (in 2 volumes in Microform Collection)

  • The Fashion Guide; International Designer Directory (746.920922025 INT)

The following websites contain directories or links to directories:


Online Resources

The Library subscribes to a large number of key resources which cover a wide variety of subjects, including textiles.  You will find these listed here.

In addition, there are a number of specialized resources, including indexes, online journal collections, subject gateways, and other services which will help you find literature such as articles, reports, conference proceedings and standards.  The following list is arranged by subject category, with a brief description and Internet link, if applicable.  Some resources appear in more than one category!

Once you have located relevant articles you must find out whether the Library has copies, either in paper, or online.  You can find out about what lists to check by clicking here.  Remember that if a paper or online version is unavailable, you may be able to obtain the item/s through the Inter-Library Loans service.
 

Subject Categories: Art/Design - Business - Chemistry - Clothing / Fashion - Companies - Marketing - Standards - Textiles

 

Art/Design

  • Design and Applied Arts Index (DAAI)
    Coverage: Art, crafts, design
    Type: Bibliographic database
    Accessed via: CSA Illumina

  • Intute: Arts & Humanities
    Coverage: Arts and Humanities
    Type: Subject group of Intute
    [ Connect ]     [ Information ]

  • ISI Web of Knowledge
    Coverage includes Arts & Humanities Citation Index
    Type: Bibliographic database
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

  • Research Training Initiative
    Coverage: Art, Design and Media
    Type: Research Training Initative with a Research Resource Centre, Research Issues, and Research Degree Case Studies
    [ Connect ]

Business

  • Business Source Elite
    Coverage: Business and management
    Type: Bibliographic database / E-Journal service
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

Chemistry

  • Chemical Engineering Virtual Library
    Coverage: Chemical and process engineering
    Type: Web guide
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • CHEMINFO, Chemical Information Sources
    Coverage: Chemistry
    Type: Web guide
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • ChemWeb.com
    Coverage: Chemistry
    Type: Online chemical community
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • Colour Index
    Coverage: Authoritative international reference work on the nomenclature, constitution, main applications and suppliers of dyes and pigments
    Type: Product database
    Access Note: USERNAME AND PASSWORD REQUIRED
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • Engineered Materials Abstracts
    Coverage: Polymers, ceramics, and composites
    Type: Bibliographic database
    Accessed via: CSA Illumina
  • Internet Chemist
    Coverage: Chemistry
    Type: Online Internet information skills tutorial
    [ Connect ]
  • Organic Chemistry Resources Worldwide
    Coverage: Organic Chemistry
    Type: An intuitive WWW resource guide for synthetic organic chemists
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • PSIgate (Physical Sciences Information Gateway)
    Coverage: includes chemistry
    Type: Information Hub
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • Resource Guide for Physical Sciences
    Coverage: includes chemistry
    Type: Resource guide
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

Companies

  • Business Source Elite
    Coverage: includes profiles of major companies
    Type: Bibliographic database / E-Journal service
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

Clothing/Fashion

  • Design and Applied Arts Index (DAAI)
    Coverage: Art, crafts, design
    Type: Bibliographic database
    Accessed via: CSA Illumina

  • Intute: Arts & Humanities
    Coverage: Arts and Humanities
    Type: Subject group of Intute
    [ Connect ]     [ Information ]

  • Fashion Encyclopedia
    Coverage: Fashion
    Type: Encyclopedia of designers; also includes some entries on companies, such as Pringle of Scotland
    [ Connect ]

  • ISI Web of Knowledge
    Coverage includes Arts & Humanities Citation Index
    Type: Bibliographic database
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

  • FirstVIEW.com
    Coverage: Clothing, fashion
    Type: Magazine (fashion photos and videos)
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • Inteletex 
    Coverage: Global textiles industry, from fibre to fashion (includes full text of some articles from the following titles: Fashion Business International, International Dyer, Knitting International, Nonwovens Report International, Textile Month and Wool Record)
    Type: Textile business information and resource centre
    Access Note: USERNAME AND PASSWORD REQUIRED
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • World Textiles
    Coverage: Textiles and related subjects
    Type: Bibliographic database
    Accessed via: EbscoHost

Marketing

  • Key Note Reports
    Coverage: Market Research
    Type: Full text service
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

Standards

  • British Standards Online
    Coverage: British Standards (full-text)
    Type: Reference
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

Textiles

  • Inteletex
    Coverage: Global textiles industry, from fibre to fashion (includes full text of some articles from the following titles: Fashion Business International, International Dyer, Knitting International, Nonwovens Report International, Textile Month and Wool Record)
    Type: Textile business information and resource centre
    Access Note: USERNAME AND PASSWORD REQUIRED
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • World Textiles
    Coverage: Textiles and related subjects
    Type: Bibliographic database
    Accessed via: EbscoHost

Tips:

  1. If you are unfamiliar with the service, look at any help or search tips provided
  2. Try using synonyms of the keyword/s you are using
  3. Look at the index or key terms used in any records retrieved, and search on these
  4. Refine your search by combining key terms or reducing the dates covered by the search.

Periodicals/Newspapers

Periodicals

As many indexes and other services, including electronic ones, do not cover the more recent issues of newspapers and periodicals, it is essential to check recent issues for the latest information on your subject.  Remember that the most recent issue is shelved on the Display shelving on the First Floor of the Martindale Library.  For an overview of where periodicals are located, click here.

For an up to date listing of periodicals held in the Martindale Library, including an A-Z list and subject lists - including Art/Design, Clothing/Fashion, Fashion Intelligence Collection, and Textiles - please click here.

The Library also subscribes to many periodicals in electronic form, including some of those we hold in printed form.  For an up to date list, click here.

Newspapers

The Martindale Library subscribes to a full range of local and national newspapers, electronic versions of some of them, and some services which provide the full text of newspapers.  For a comprehensive list, please click here.


Research

Local Collections

  • Undergraduate and taught postgraduate

The Library maintains a collection of recent (selected) undergraduate and post graduate student projects and dissertations.  You can search for projects in the Catalogue in a number of ways:-

  1. Course lists - we have created "series" entries to enable you to view entire sets of projects.  As a result you can search for specific projects by doing a "Basic Search" on the name of the course as a "Series" (selecting "Series" in the drop-down menu).  For example, enter "Textile Design" in the "Search for:" box and select "Series" in the right-hand "In:" box, and this will retrieve all "BA Textile Design" projects in stock.
  2. Keyword - enter "student" followed by a keyword such as "music?" ( to retrieve projects with the words music, musical, musician, etc., in the title) or the author's surname ( to retrieve projects by a particular student).

The Projects are located in an open cabinet on the wall opposite the Library entrance.

The Library holds a collection of theses written by staff and students during their time at Scottish Borders Campus and the former Scottish College of Textiles.  There are two copies of some theses, one of which is for reference only.  If you wish to borrow or consult an item from the Collection, which is not publicly accessible, please provide details at the Service Desk.  

You can search for theses in the Library Catalogue by doing a "Basic Search" as follows: enter "theses" followed by a keyword, such as "wool", or an author's surname.

National and International Research

The following databases include items of interest to textile researchers:

  • Zetoc [Z39.50-compliant access to the British Library's Electronic Table of Contents (ETOC)].
    Type: Bibliographic database and alerting service
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

Fashion Intelligence

The Martindale Library subscribes to a number of general and specialized fashion and textile intelligence services in printed form.  For an up to date list, click here.

In addition, one of the electronic resources listed above, WGSN-edu (Worth Global Style Network - Educational), provides trend information.  Students and staff of Heriot-Watt studying a textile-related course are entitled to access this service.  A personal PIN must be obtained from the Martindale Library Service Desk to register for access.


Current Awareness

Some electronic services provide a "current awareness" facility, such as an email newsletter, newsfeed or "alert".  These include:

  • Corporate Clothing Director
    Coverage: Business clothing, workwear, foul weather clothing, safety wear, protective garments and promotional clothing.
    Type: Business to business sourcing directory/news and information service
    Format: Networked (requires registration)
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]
  • Textile Web
    Coverage: Articles, application notes, case studies, presentations, research analysis, white papers, and commentaries
    Type: Business to business sourcing directory/news and information service
    Format: Networked
    [ Connect ] [ Information ]

Please note

Some non subject-specific current awareness services, such as Zetoc, could be used for textile current awareness.  For a comprehensive list of all the major current awareness services which you can access - please click here.


Special Collections

The Martindale Library holds a number of special collections, some of which are relevant to textiles.  These include:


Statistics

Textile statistics may be included or referred to in the following publications or resources:

Please note: A key source of statistics is the UK Government's National Statistics website, which includes links to major publications such as the latest issues of  Social Trends, Labour Market Review and The Official Yearbook of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

For specifically Scottish statistics, refer to sites such as the Scottish Executive's Statistics homepage.


Visual Resources

There are many visual resources held in the Martindale Library.  These include:

  • the Microform and Slide Collections

  • VideoFashion News - a fashion magazine in video format covering the 1990s

  • Catalogues of high-quality photographs with CD-ROMs or associated websites (to locate them, search Library catalogue under subject "Photographs" ).

The Web provides an unrivalled source of visual resources.  As well as looking for specific resources (e.g. by doing a Google Image Search), there are hundreds of excellent websites with images covering art, design, fashion and textiles.  A good starting point is Intute, a guide to quality Internet resources, including the Arts and Humanities.

For images of the work of fashion designers firstVIEW is an excellent resource, although the most recent images are only available on subscription.

Another outstanding resource is the Roland Collection of Films and Videos on Art, many of which may be viewed online.

The University also subscribes to SCRAN, an award-winning learning image website with access to quality images, sounds, movies and learning resources. It contains over 300,000 images from museums, galleries and archives.  It was described in the Guardian's World's Top 6 Museum Sites as "An ongoing feast of history & culture".  The service can be used at http://www.scran.ac.uk.

Other useful resources include:

There is also a very useful guide, Finding Images Online, provided by TASI (Technical Advisory Service for Images).

TASI have also collected details of a wide range of digital image collections and projects and compiled an Image Sites collection, which you can search here.

 

The British Universities Film & Video Council (BUFC) provide an excellent suite of services relating to TV, radio, film, video and the moving image, including The Television and Radio Index for Learning and Teaching (TRILT).

 


Organizations

Organizations can provide useful information about the industry or interest for which they cater.  Amongst those that cater for the industry are:


Further information

Accessing the resources

The lists above includes details of how to access each resource.  Many can be accessed on-Campus by simply clicking on "Connect".  In these cases the service provider recognises that the PC you are using is on-Campus from its IP (Internet Protocol) address.  Some require the use of a specific username and password, which you can obtain by clicking on the link given ("USERNAME AND PASSWORD REQUIRED").

For further information, including guides on how to find information on other subjects, please refer to the Library's series, Finding information on your subject.

For further information about Library resources on textiles, for help on using these resources, or to suggest additions or amendments to this Guide, please contact:

Peter Sandison
Library
Scottish Borders Campus, Galashiels
Phone: 01896-89-2155
Email: P.E.C.Sandison@hw.ac.uk 
 

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Guide compiled by Peter Sandison.  Last updated 08/10/2009