New TRC website lists services provided, special collections

Students can learn about the many offerings provided by the Technical Reference Center, the reference library at Texas A&M’s College of Architecture, on its new [website] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/inside/services/technical-reference-center/) .

The page lists the center’s resources and services and details about its trove of special collections, which include more than 1,000 design books from the personal collection of [William Carroll Pahlmann] (http://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/11/obituaries/william-c-pahlmann-decorator-known-for-eclectic-designs-dies.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm) , a notable New York interior designer from the 1930s through the 1970s, photographs from acclaimed documentary photographer [Danny Lyon] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Lyon) , large-format photographs of Texas historical buildings restored by architect [Raiford Stripling] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/community/formerstudents/outstanding-alumni/past-honorees/120/) ’31, the College of Architecture's [archives] (http://one.arch.tamu.edu/news/2011/9/7/trc-archive/) and the [books and documents] (http://one.arch.tamu.edu/news/2011/6/27/langford-trcvisit/) of [Ernest Langford] (http://archone.tamu.edu/college/news/newsletters/fall2006/langfordBio.html) , a looming figure in the college’s rich history.

Visitors to the TRC page will also find links to PDF documents that include a [inventory] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/media/cms_page_media/254/Furniture.pdf) of the center’s furniture and its designers, which include Mies van der Rohe and Eero Saarinen.

The TRC’s holdings are also searchable in an online [catalog] (http://opac.libraryworld.com/opac/home) , or on free LibraryWorld [iPhone] (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/libraryworld-search-for-iphone/id456712212?mt=8) , [iPad] (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/libraryworld-search-for-ipad/id459177021?mt=8) and [Android] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.libraryworld.mpac&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5saWJyYXJ5d29ybGQubXBhYyJd) apps.

“After downloading the LibraryWorld app, tap ‘info’ on the menu at the bottom of the screen and enter ‘tech ref center’ in the field for the library name, and you’re ready to search,” said Paula Bender, TRC director.

The TRC also offers access at five dedicated workstations and case studies of nearly 500 innovative, financially successful projects published by the [Urban Land Institute] (http://www.uli.org/) , a nonprofit research and education organization.

The ULI projects range from single and multifamily housing, mixed use, town and retail centers, office buildings, industrial properties, civic facilities, new creative types of development, and more. In addition, the database includes reports on ULI Award for Excellence winners and projects featured in the Institute's publications.”