History and Theory of Planning

This guide is for students in the course "History and Theory of Planning" and other city planning courses. 

Be sure to visit the sections of this guide on the left menu bar for more information.

Library Search connects you to books, articles, and a variety of other library sources.

Search or browse these databases for legal and statistical data about cities and metropolitan areas.

Looking for an interesting New Jersey municipality to research? The library subscribes to a print magazine called New Jersey Municipalities. You can browse issues in the Current Periodicals Reading Room on the second floor of Campbell Library. 

Schedule an appointment with me:

To find articles on the history and theory of planning, use a library database (suggestions below) or Library Search. 

Subscription databases available through the Database Finder on the Campbell Library website have scholarly journal articles on city and regional planning. 

LibKey Nomad is a browser extension for the Chrome, Firefox, and Edge web browsers.

*Important Note* The Rowan University Information Security Office has blocked access to the Chrome browser extension library on Rowan managed laptops and desktops of Rowan faculty and staff that have access to PHI (Protected Healthcare Information). Those users will not be able to install LibKey Nomad on Chrome.  A work-around is to install and use LibKey Nomad on a different browser.  

Once you install LibKey Nomad, you can use it to download full text articles to which we subscribe, from any publisher website where you find them. (Otherwise you would need to go to the library website to access the full text if you are off campus.)

When the full text PDF is available to you, you will see a LibKey Download PDF icon in the bottom left corner of the page.

If it is not, you will see a button labeled Access Options which will direct you to our Interlibrary Loan system.

Watch the short video shown below to learn how to download the extension for the browser you use.  

We recommend that you use the specialized subscription databases on the library website to search for scientific literature (papers) because you will see only content that the library subscribes to. 

However if you prefer to use Google Scholar, you can create a Google Scholar profile with your Rowan University credentials, which will give you access to the library's subscription content.

Then when you search in Google Scholar, you will see links to the right of some results labeled Full Text @Rowan University. Selecting one of these links will take you to the subscribed content.

To find a book, enter the title in the Library Search box on the Campbell Library homepage or in the widget below. If your book is not the first result, refine your search to Books in the Resource Type facet in the left sidebar. Please note that the library does not have copies of most textbooks. 

Many books are now available in e-book format and can be viewed on your computer, tablet, or phone - click on View Online. 

To locate print books on the shelf, you'll need to have the Call Number listed in the results display. The first letter of the call number tells you the floor and row (A - K is on the 3rd floor, L- Z on the 4th); the rest of the call number identifies the book on the shelf. Browse the rows to find the book with that call number on its spine.

Use the search box labeled Library Search on the Campbell Library home page to search for books.

Enter topic keywords in the Library Search box, such as "electric vehicles."

When the results list is displayed, go to the left sidebar to refine your results.

Limit to books by checking Books under the Resource Type limiter, then selecting Apply Filter. (In some cases you may have to use the Show More button to see the Books resource type.)

Click on the availability link of the book you are interested in, which may be Available Online or Available in Campbell Library Remote Storage.

To limit further to e-books only, check the box for Available Online under the Limit To facet.

To limit further to print books only, check the box for Held in the Library under the Limit To facet.

Reference maps and atlases are located in the second floor mezzanine area, in the Ref Map Case and Ref Atlas Case.  They must be used in the library. 

A collection of geological and topographical maps of key areas of the U.S. and the world is currently being developed by the library. Some geological maps are now available (for faculty/staff use only) in the first floor Reserves Room - see the Access Services staff. 

The University Archives and Special Collections space on the third floor of Campbell Library contains materials on the history of New Jersey which may be viewed in person under the supervision of staff. For more information, visit the UASC webpage.

Useful planning resources external to Campbell Library.

NJ Map is a suite of internet-based geospatial tools and map themes designed to assist New Jersey municipalities and local level stakeholders in better visualizing and understanding their environment. 

Created by and maintained by Rowan University’s Geospatial Research Lab (GeoLab) since 2011, NJ Map helps facilitates sound land use and environmental management decisions in order to achieve sustainability goals and objectives. The NJ Map suite of tools includes the Municipal Landuse Dashboard, the Conservation Blueprint, the Municipal Buildout Modeler, the Land Change Viewer, and more.