| HISTORY RESOURCES
FOR HUMANITIES/SOCIAL SCIENCES CONSULTATION LIBRARIANS |
• Historians need both primary and secondary sources. Secondary sources are of course analysis of an historical event, person's life, etc. For a historian a primary sources can be defined as The American Memory Website from the Library of Congress has a nice, in-depth explaination http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/psources/source.html.
• Most students are looking for commentaries, secondary sources that discuss historical topics and are supported by primary evidence.
• The date of 1450, when Johannes Gutenberg printed the first book with moveable type , is considered the advent of "modern" history. So the two main historical indexes (Historical Abstracts and America: History and Life) do not cover the time period prior to 1450. Information on the ancient and medieval world will fall in the religion, classics and general social science indexes.
• Biographical resources are particularly difficult for women and minorities. Most modern reference books are very inclusive of such populations, but older standard sources typically ignored all but the most famous female and minority public figures.
Manipuating the Online Catalog
• Useful subject sub headings for history
personal narratives
diaries
sources
maps
collections
statistic• Its helpful to have a working knowledge of LC. In general the arrangement takes a very western european geographic view. For instances the D's begin with general materials, Then the DA's are British history. The D's then work their way around Western Europe, into Russia, the Middle East. Asia, South East Asia, to Australia. The E's are general United States History arranged chronologically. The F's begin with U.S. regional history, then to Latin America and Canada. Because you can classify anything in the H's, remember HC is American Social History and HT is slavery worldwide.
• Historical information in other disciplines is classed in other LC categories. History of science and scientists are in their respective call numbers in the Science Library. So, when someone asks for our biography section, there really isn't one.
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias | Histories | Biographies | Chronologies | Maps | Statistics | Primary Sources
Print dictionaries and encyclopedias generally have one of two layouts. The "dictionary" format defines or explains and event, term, or issue. Many encyclopedias and dictionaries now actually have extensive articles on apects of history, for instance a history of reading and literacy in the United States. In the traditional sense, the terms dictionarie and encyclopedia are meaningless and interchangeable. Some examples below. Use the LC call number system to locate other areas.
Encyclopedia of American Social History. Mary Kupiec Cayton, Elliott J. Gorn, and Peter W. Williams, eds. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1993. Thematic encyclopedia that deals with a wide range of American cultural issues and icons. King Ref HN 57 .E58 1993
Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara. John Middleton, ed. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1997, Comprehensive lookd at Africa by country. Includes historical and ethnic information. King Ref DT 351/E53 1997
Encyclopedia of the Holocaust. Israel Gutman, ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. 1990. Five Volume encyclopedia covering anything concerning modern Jewish history, especially the twentieth century. King Ref D804.3 .E53 1990.
African American Almanac. Detroit, MI : Gale Research Excellent for history as well as statistics. Orgnaized by broad topic. King Ref E 185.A275 1994
Historians use general histories for lots of background information, almost interchangeable with an encyclopedia. Any series beginning with the following will act like an indepth text book.
• Cambridge History of
• Cambridge Illustrated History of
• Oxford
Some examples:
Cambridge History of Japan. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1988- DS835 .C36 1988
Below is a list of the basics. Many countries have their own national biographies and dictionaries. Look in the CT's and by LC call number.
Who's Who. London: A&C Black, 1849+. King Ref DA 28 .W6
Who Was Who. London: A&C Black, 1897-. King Ref DA 28 .W65
Who's Who in America. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who Inc., 1899+. King Ref E 176
.W65
Who Was Who in America. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who Inc., 1607-1981.King Ref
E 176 .W4
Basic factual information about living and dead Americans and British and anyone
else that has ties to their country and cultures.
American National Biography. New York : Oxford University Press, 1999
Newest and most comprehensive source of American and American-related persons. Includes
many figures left out of other, tradtional sources. King Ref CT213 .A68 1999
Dictionary of American Biography. New York: Scribner, 1927-1981. Contains
signed biographical articles, with bibliographies, on persons who resided in the
United States or the American Colonies. King Ref E 176 .D562x
Dictionary of National Biography. London: Oxford University Press, 1917-1981.
Contains signed articles, with brief bibliographies, on persons from the 15th century
to 1970. King Ref DA 28 .D4
The Timetables of History. Bernard Grun. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Contemporary names and events in chronological and subject (history, politics,
literature, science, daily life) order. King Ref D 11 .G78
American chronicle : year by year through the twentieth century . Lois Gordon
and Alan Gordon. New York: Crown Publishers Inc., 1999. A year by year detailed
summary of fads, music, sports, books, technology, etc. King Ref E169.1 .G664 1999
American Decades. Detroit : Gale Research, 1994-.Looks at American culture
through the decades, begining at the turn of the century. King Ref E169.12 .A419
1994
American Eras. Detroit : Gale Research, Similar to American Decades above,
covers the years 1600-1899. King Ref E168 .A5118 1997
Historical Maps on File. New York: Facts on File 1984. Maps of events and places of historical significance. Designed to be photocopied and altered. King Ref G 1030 .M37 1984
Historical Atlas. William R. Shepherd. 9th ed. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1980. Standard historical atlas; covers from 1450 B.C. to 1980; color maps; index. King Ref G 1030 .S4 1980
Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/index.html
Abstract of British Historical Statistics. B.R. Mitchell. Cambridge: University
Press, 1962. King Ref HA 1135 .M5
Second Abstract of British Historical Statistics. B.R. Mitchell & H.G.
Jones. Cambridge: University Press, 1971 King Ref HA 1135 .M5 Presents economic
statistics, some figures from 17th century to 1960's|
International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia, and Oceana 1750-1988.
B.R. Mitchell. New York: Stockton Press, 1994. King Ref HA4675 .M55 1995
International Historical Statistics: Americas: 1750-1988. B.R. Mitchell. New
York: Stockton Press, 1993. King Ref HA 175.M552 1993
International Historical Statistics: Europe, B.R. Mitchell. New York: Stockton
Press, 1992 King Ref HA 1107.M5 1992
Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970. Washington
D.C.: U.S. Bureau of the Census,1975. King Ref HA 202 .B87 1975 Statistics based
on the U.S. Census.
Statistical Abstract of the United States. U.S. Department of Commerce & the
Bureau of the Census. Washington D.C.: GPO, 1935+.
Statistics concerning the political, social and economic organization of the U.S.
Some tables will go back as far as 1800. King Ref HA 202 .A4x
A subset of many of these statistics available at
United States Historical Census Browser http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/
Primary Sources and Indexes to Primary Sources
See the section of MiamiLINK under Indexes and Databases | General Interest | Historical Catalogues and Databases
For Magazine Articles use:
19th Century Masterfile
American Periodical Series Online
For Newspapers:
New York Times Index King Index.1854-
Index to the Times of London King Index. Earlier indexes under AI 21 .T46 1790+
For Books use:
Early English Books Online
For a complete list of indexes for history see: http://www.lib.MUOhio.Edu/research/indexes/subjects/History/. In addtion, many indexes in other disciplines will have historical articles of interest to that discipline.
America: History and Life
Abstracts journal articles, book reviews, media reviews, and dissertations on all
aspects of American and Canadian history from prehistory to the present. Connect
Historical Abstracts
Indexes journal articles, dissertations, book reviews, and media reviews on world
history (excluding the United States and Canada-see America: History and Life).
HA covers history from 1450 to the present. This index alsoincludes major European-language
journals. Connect
Mega Web Sites | Special Search Engines | Primary Resources Projects Online
Mega Web Sites
Special Search Engines
Primary Resources Projects
American Memory
For more detailed information see the history guide at http://staff.lib.muohio.edu/~presnejl/hstresearch/hstrs.main.html