Welcome to the Research Guide for Free Resources. This research guide was created to provide credible resources that are open to the public freely.
Navigate through the pages on the menu to the left for more information.
General Resources: Discover open access to resources focusing on an array of multidisciplinary topics. These resources are non-subject specific and can assist in general research.
State Resources: Locate free resources that relate to Florida state government, including legislature, archives, state museums, and more.
Sarasota County Resources: These resources relate specifically to Sarasota County where RCAD is located and include local legislature, historical resources, and more.
Statistics and Demographics: Free resources that provide quantitative data and demographic information for specific populations.
People, Culture, and Movements: Find both historical and contemporary resources that relate to different cultures, heritages, and social movements.
Art and Design: Discover useful resources covering an array of topics within the field of art and design, which include anything from self-promotion to historical timelines.
Archive of the Internet: Learn about the Archive of the Internet. What it is, what information it provides, and how to use the WayBack Machine.
Feel free to contact the library for assistance at any point in your research process, whether you're just starting a project or you're hitting a dead end. Chat services and librarian contact information can be found on the left side of this page. Or, schedule a research consultation by clicking on the link below.
For more free resources featuring digital collections for creative practitioners, please check out our Special Collections non-exhaustive list here.
Goldstein Library provides research consultations with Research Librarians who are interested in your topic and excited to help you research! We are prepared to help you find the information you need to be successful! Our specialization is helping artists and designers find the materials that they need for reference and research (images, books, journal articles, websites, videos, and more); helping you understand how you can use what you find ethically; and how to cite your sources.