Reference & Instruction

Reference Assistance

Basic reference assistance is provided at the AFA Library service desk during all hours of operation.

Professional assistance from librarians is normally available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Contact one of our subject specialist librarians.  Specialized assistance may be obtained by appointment, or via phone, correspondence, or email.

AFA Librarians also participate in Ask A Librarian, the UF Libraries’ virtual reference chat service.

Library Instruction

Librarians are available for scheduled tours and customized classes in using library resources. Instructors are encouraged to schedule these sessions for their students. It is particularly effective to schedule these sessions to coincide with research and writing assignments. Contact your subject specialist to schedule a class.

Research Guides

Many web-based, subject-specific research guides are available through the AFA Library Research Guides. Further subject guides are available on the Smathers Libraries Research Guides.

Reference Collection

The AFA Library maintains a print reference collection consisting of basic and specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, handbooks, directories, codes and standards, and other sources of value to design, music and visual arts researchers.

Many reference sources are provided in electronic formats. The AFA Library resources and research guides highlight key resources for design, music, and visual arts.