• What is DADABASE? What is Arcade?
• What’s in DADABASE besides books?
• What’s not in DADABASE?
• Are items in DADABASE digitized?
• What does “Checked Out” mean?
• How do I get a researcher ID?
• How do I request materials? May I request materials in advance?
• Will you ship materials between libraries?
• What does “Use Copy on Microfilm” or “Use Copy on Microfiche” mean?
• What is the syntax for boolean, wildcards, and adjacency?
• I can’t connect to DADABASE. What should I do?

For information on how to find specific materials in DADABASE, please see Library Collections FAQ.

For questions about DADABASE that are not included here, please email library@moma.org, call (212) 708-9433, or fax (212) 333-1122.

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Q. What is DADABASE? What is Arcade?

A. DADABASE is the catalog of the Museum of Modern Art Library and a partial catalog of the Museum Archives and Study Centers. It lists materials in diverse media. Except for electronic resources, the materials themselves are not in DADABASE. Rather, DADABASE describes what the materials are and where they are in the Museum.

DADABASE is a subset of Arcade, the combined library catalog of the New York Art Resources Consortium (NYARC). Arcade includes the holdings of MoMA, the Frick, and the Brooklyn Museum—over 700,000 titles. Searches can be limited to DADABASE, or expanded to include all three libraries.

Q. What’s in DADABASE besides books?

• Databases and e-journals (most limited to on-site use)
• Files on individual artists
• Periodicals
• Selected Museum Archives and Study Center materials
• Museum newsletters, calendars, bulletins, and annual reports
• Franklin Furnace Artists’ Books Collection
• Political Art Documentation/Distribution (PAD/D) Archive
• Audiovisual materials
• Selected Auction catalogs

Q. What’s not in DADABASE?

• Periodical articles
• Works in the Museum collections and Study Collections such as paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, architectural drawings, posters, design objects, prints, illustrated books, films, and media
• Most Museum Archives and Study Center materials
• Circulating films
• Film stills
• Film program notes
• Film Special Collections

Q. Are items in DADABASE digitized?

A. Most items in DADABASE refer to physical materials. For e-resource suggestions related to a particular item, click “Expand This Search.” Many art research databases are also accessible through DADBASE, although most require on-site use. A number of e-sources, such as UbuWeb, are accessible off-site.

Q. What does “Checked Out” mean?

A. Library materials may be in use (“checked-out”) by Museum staff, or for cataloging, interlibrary loan, preservation, or exhibition. Checked out materials may be retrievable for consultation in the reading rooms. To find out availability, ask at the reference desk.

Q. How do I get a researcher ID?

A. Each time you make an appointment at the libraries you are assigned a researcher ID. This enables you to request materials before and during your visit.

Q. What does “Use Copy on Microfilm” or “Use Copy on Microfiche” mean?

A. For preservation purposes, microfilm/fiche copies may be provided in place of rare or fragile original materials. All microfilm/fiche materials are located at the Manhattan Library. Prints are 25 cents per page. Digital reproductions of microfilm/fiche pages are not available.

Q. What is the syntax for boolean, wildcards, and adjacency?

A. For details on advanced search syntax, see the search tips at the bottom of the DADABASE advanced search page.

Q. I can’t connect to DADABASE. What should I do?

A. First, try reconnecting to DADABASE. If that doesn’t work, email library@moma.org.

Updated October 2011

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