Manuals, Handbooks, and Guides

Manuals, handbooks, and guides are reference materials that provide more or less comprehensive and detailed coverage of a topic. A beginner can learn a lot about a field from them, while an expert can use them for quick reference.

Berk, E. (1976). Downtown Improvement Manual. Chicago: American Planning Association.: Originally written for communities in Illinois but broadly relevant. Provides a “state and national perspective on central business district improvement techniques and resources…” Intended to be “useful to interested professionals and concerned officials and citizens. Includes information on parking, traffic, mass transit, landscape design, historic preservation, land use control, marketing, planning methodology, citizen participation, etc. (introduction)
ulib HT 167.5 I3 B47
Burchell, R. W. (1981). The Adaptive Reuse Handbook: Procedures to Inventory, Control, Manage, and Reemploy Surplus Municipal Properties. NJ: Rutgers University, Center for Urban Policy Research.: “Presents a detailed blueprint for the adaptive reuse of surplus properties.” Features include full set of reuse preparatory and implementation activities, a standard format for all sections, detailed step-by-step approach, optimal targeting of different strategies for different circumstances, city case studies of successful applications of its principles, and listing of additional resources. (introduction)
ulib HT 175 B87
(1996). Documenting Change: Industry and Business in Troy and Rensselaer, NY, 1945 to the Present: A Resource Guide. Troy, NY: Rensselaer County Historical Society.: ulib F129 T8 D63X 1996
Irwin, J. K. (2003). Historic Preservation Handbook. NY: McGraw-Hill.
Harrison, R. (ed.) (1994). Manual of Heritage Management. Saint Louis, MO: Butterworth-Heinemann.: A companion volume to Manual of Curatorship, which discusses the narrower field of conservation in a museum setting. Designed for ready-reference. Has both theoretical pieces and case studies. Discusses strategic planning as well as day to day issues of management of conservation. (introduction)
ulib CC 135 M315 1994
Lindbloom, C. G. (1968). The Citizen's Guide to Urban Renewal. (Rev. ed.) Chandler-Davis Pub. Co.: “Designed to meet the needs of those without professional training in urban renewal and those just starting their professional urban renewal careers. (introduction)
ulib HT 175 U6 L55 1968
McBee, S., Basile, R. J., Dunphy, R., Keeling, J. M., Lin, B. C., Petersen, David. C., Phillips, P. L., & Wagner, R. D. (1980). Downtown Development Handbook. Washington DC: Urban Land Institute.: ulib HT 175 U667 1980
McNulty, R. & Kliment, S. (1976). Neighborhood Conservation: A Handbook of Methods and Techniques. (Rev., enl. ed.) New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, Incorporated.: “A guide to the key administrative, legal, financial, social, and physical design issues governing the present and future of neighborhood conservation.” Includes city case studies. The case study for Troy, New York is on pages 194-95.
ulib HT 175 N396 1976
Paddison, R. (Ed.). (2001). Handbook of Urban Studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.: ulib ref HT151 H318 2001
Vogel, R. K. (Ed.). (1997). Handbook of Research on Urban Politics and Policy in the United States. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.: ulib ref HT110 H36 1997

© 2003 Sarah Morehouse. This pathfinder was created for ISP605 (Information Sources and Services) with Professor Lokman Meho at the College of Information Science at the University at Albany. This site last updated April 20, 2003.