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Information Sources in American History
I. Books and Audiovisuals
II Periodical Resources
A. Electronic Indexes and Full-Text Collections
B. Print Indexes and Bibliographies
III. Reference Materials
A. Dictionaries
B. Encyclopedias
C. Other Reference Sources
IV. Government Publications
V. Web Resources
VI. Course Information
VII. Help from the Library
Use tomCat (the U of M Library
catalog).
Also try searching by keywords such as united states immigration or equal rights amendment. (Leave out words like in, of, on, and the; AND is assumed between words.)
For books about individuals, use the person's name as a subject; e.g., jefferson thomas or subject keyword; e.g., thomas jefferson president .
For book-length bibliographies, search by subject keywords using the word "bibliography";
e.g., united states civil war bibliography .
For video tapes, use the term "videorecording" as a keyword;
e.g. united states presidents videorecording .
Copy the call number from the catalog record to find the book. (See How to Find Books.)
netLibrary [UM Only] A collection of over 55,000 electronic books in various disciplines. Some of these items may be available in print as well as electronically.
Use an electronic database.
These are recommended. Other periodical databases are listed on Periodical Databases by Adademic Area. For help finding articles try How to Find Articles in Periodicals and refer to How to find Print Periodicals for help locating the articles you've found. If the periodical is available electronically, you will find a link to it from the electronic journals list.
AltPressIndex [UM Only]
Indexes nearly 300 alternative publications, including selected research journals. International and interdisciplinary with a focus on the humanities and social sciences; addresses cultural, economic, political and social change. Coverage: 1991-.
American Slavery : A Composite Autobiography [UM Only]
Presents the work of the Work Projects Administration from 1936-1938. The WPA employed writers and journalists through the Federal Writers' Project to interview ex-slaves in the United States. Searching is available on eight different criteria.
Daily Life through History [UM Only]
Emphasizes how ordinary citizens lived during 10 frequently studied historical periods.
Economic Literature [UM Only]
Indexes journals, books, working papers in the field of economics. Coverage: 1969-.
Fact Search (1984 - ) [UM Only]
A guide to statistical statements on current social, economic, political, environmental and health issues, derived from some newspapers, periodicals, newsletter and documents such as the Christian Science Monitor, the Congressional Record, Congressional hearings, Daily Press Briefings of the White House, State Department and Department of Defense, and Australian, British and Canadian Parliamentary Debates. Includes abstracts.
HarpWeek: 1857-1912) [UM Only]
Provides a searchable index and full text of the articles and illustrations that appeared each week in Harper's Weekly prior, during, and the decade after the Civil War.
In the First Person: An Index to Letters, Diaries, Oral Histories, and Personal Narratives [Open Access]
Provides citations to oral histories, letters, diaries, autobiographies, and other personal narratives.
JSTOR (full text archive) [UM Only]
Indexes and stores back issues of fifteen history journals, including American Historical Review.
Making of America Cornell and Michigan
Making of America is a digital collection of primary sources in American history, covering education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. The Cornell site provides access to 267 monograph volumes and over 100,000 journal articles with 19th century imprints. The Michigan site's collection currently contains approximately 8,500 books and 50,000 journal articles. Coverage: 19th century and early 20th century.
Project Muse (Full-text) [UM Only]
Provides electronic full text of more than 200 scholarly journals in arts and humanities, social sciences, and mathematics.
Social Sciences Full Text (citations, abstracts, full text).[UM Only]
Part of Wilson Omni File Mega. Indexes and in many cases provides full text for periodicals in a wide variety of fields. Coverage: citations & abstracts, 1983- ; full text, 1995-
Sociological Abstracts [UM Only]
Provides access to the latest research in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. Indexing began 1963; abstracting began 1974.
Other Databases: These databases provide coverage on a wide range of subjects and may be useful in your research.
Electronic Journals Service (EJS) [UM Only]
Electronic journals service available through a common interface for online journal subscriptions. Search, browse, and identify journals and articles available online in either full-text or table-of-content format. Hyperlinks are provided to more than 1,300 electronic journals worldwide.
Expanded Academic Index (1980-) [UM Only]
Indexes about 1,900 magazines, journals, and the NY Times newspaper. Most have abstracts, and about 900 are full text.
IngentaConnect [Open Access]
Formerly Uncover. Browse the publication list or search tables of contents to over 17,000 periodicals; period of coverage varies. Provides document delivery service.
Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [UM Only]
Provides full text of many magazines and newspapers, including The Commercial Appeal since 1990.
Oxford Reference Online [UM Only]
The Oxford Reference Online Premium collection is an online collection of dictionaries and encyclopedias in many fields including: art & architecture, bilingual dictionaries, biological science, classics, computing, earth & environmental sciences, economics & business, English dictionaries and thesauruses, English language reference, food & drink, history, law, literature, maps & illustrations, military history, mythology & folklore, names & places, performing arts, physical sciences & mathematics, politics & social sciences, quotations, religion & philosophy, and science.
PowerSearch [UM Only]
Searches the 12 InfoTrac databases simultaneously.
Web of Knowledge
Resources specific to History on WoK include Arts & Humanities Citation Index Social Science Citation Index, Journal Citation Report (Social Science), Current Contents Connect for Arts & Humanities, and ISI Proceedings for Social Science and the Humanities.
Wilson Omnifile Mega Full Text [UM Only]
Provides access to eleven databases: Education , General Science , Humanities , Readers' Guide , Social Sciences, Wilson Business , Art, Applied Science & Technology, Index to Legal Periodicals, Library Literature & Information Science, Biological & Agricultural. Search databases individually, in selected groups, or all at once.
WorldCat [UM Only]
Records of any type of material cataloged by OCLC member libraries, including books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and websites. Contains manuscripts written as early as the 12th century.
America History and Life (1964 -) [Reference Abstract Shelves]
Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1976-2002) [Reference Index Tables]
Biography Index (articles in periodicals and books, 1946 - ) [Reference Index Tables]
Biography and Genealogy Master Index (basic set, 1980; supplemental volumes:1981-85;86-90;91-95) [Reference Index Tables] -
This master index is a good place to begin looking for biographical information since it covers all the major biographical reference works. It even includes the Biography Index beginning with the 81-85 cumulation.To be comprehensive, search all the cumulative sets. Be alert for variations in name entries as the names (with birth and death dates) are listed as they appear in the original biographical source.
Books on Early American History and Culture, 1991-1995: An Annotated Bibliography [Ref E188.I78x 2000]
Combined Retrospective Index to Journals in History, 1838-1974 [Reference Index Tables]
Historical Abstracts (1955-2000) [Reference Abstract Shelves]
New York Times Index (1851- ) [Reference Periodicals]
Poole's Index to Periodical Literature (1802-1881; supplement 1882-1906) [Ref AI3.P75x]
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (1900-2000) [Reference Index Tables]
Dictionary of American Biography (DAB) 20 vols. + 10 supplements [Ref E176.D56] -
Includes biographical essays on persons no longer living who "have made significant contributions to our national past" (preface). Complementing the basic 20-volume set is an "analytical index" which lists subjects by name, birthplace, school/college, and occupation. The 10 supplements add persons who have died since the original publication in 1936 and prior to 1980. A comprehensive index for the 10 supplements is appended to Supplement Volume 10.
Dictionary of Historical Allusions & Eponyms [Ref PN43.A83 1998]
NTC's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions [Ref PE2846.S64 2001]
Encyclopedia of American Cultural & Intellectual History (3 vols.) [Ref E169.1.E624 2001]
The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates (986-1992) [Ref 174.5.C3 1993]
Encyclopedia of American History [Ref E174.5.E52 1996]
Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy (3 vols.) [Ref JX1407.E53]
Encyclopedia of American Political History (4 vols.) [Ref E183.E5 1984]
The Encyclopedia of Civil Rights in America (3 vols.) [Ref E185.61.E544 1998]
Encyclopedia of Ephemera: A Guide to the Fragmentary Documents of Everyday Life for the Collector, Curator, and Historian [Ref NC1280.R52 2000]
Encyclopedia of North American Indians [Ref E76.2.E53 1996]
Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (4 vols.) [Ref JK511.E53 1994]
Encyclopedia of the North American Colonies ( 3 vols.) [Ref E45.E53 1993]
Encyclopedia of U.S. Foreign Relations (4 vols.) [Ref E183.7.E53 1997]
Encyclopedia of the United States in the Nineteenth Century (3 vols.) [Ref E169.1.E626 2001]
Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America [Online, UM Only]
The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture [Ref F436.T525 1998] Available online
Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States [Ref E156.W67]
American Decades (10 vols.) [Ref E169.12.A419 1994] - Excellent overview of 20th century society in the United States. Each volume concentrates on a separate decade.
American Indian Wars [Ref E81.K44 1997]
American Indians (3 vols.)[Ref E76.2.A45 1995]
American Military Leaders from Colonial Times to the Present (2 vols.) [Ref E181.F84 1999]
American National Biography (24 vols.) [Ref CT213 .A68 1999]
The American Presidency: A Historical Bibliography [Ref E176.1.A656x]
Chronicle of the 20th Century [Ref D422.C57 1987]
Civil War Eyewitnesses: An Annotated Bibliograhy of Books and Articles 1986-1996 [Ref E601.C64x 2000]
Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation [Ref JK14 1964]
Daily Life Through History [UM Only] - Click on time period and then on "Table of Contents" at bottom of screen to get overview of content.
Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America [Online, UM Only]
Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States [Online, UM Only]
Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada [Ref E172.D48 1990]
Documentary History of the First Federal Congress, 1789-1791 (6 vols.) [Ref JK1059.1stD6]
Facts on File (1940 - ) [Ref D410.F34x]
Famous First Facts [Ref AG5.K315]
Guide to Congress [Ref JK1021.C56 1976a]
Guide to United States Popular Culture [Ref E169.1.D399 2001]
Historic Documents (1972 - ) [Ref E839.5.H57]
Historical Statistics of the United States (2 vols.) [Ref HA 202.A385 1975]
Great Events from History: American Series (3 vols.) [Ref E178.M22]
Mapping America's Past [Ref Atlas G1201.S1C3 1996]
A People's History of the United States, 1492-Present [Ref E178.Z75 1999]
The Presidents (Washington-Clinton) [Ref E176.1.P918 1996]
Reader's Guide to American History [Ref E178.R42x 1997]
Wars of the Americas: A Chronology of Armed Conflict in the New World, 1492 to the Present [Ref E18.75.M374 1998]
World Almanac and Book of Facts (1868 - ) [Latest at Reference Desk; older volumes [Ref AY67.N5W7]
The microforms area on the second floor of McWherter Library houses several collections of primary works useful for the study of different historial periods. A card catalog located in the and staff at the Periodicals Desk can help you locate requested items. The following collections are examples of the kinds of materials available. Most have separate indexes/guides to help you locate specific items.
Early American Imprints, 1639-1820 [Microcard Z1215.E923] - Guide: American Bibliography (Evans, Shaw, Shoemaker) [Micro Z1215.E923.S48]
American Culture Series (ACS), 1493-1875 [Microfilm E169.1.A47] - Books and pamphlets. Guides: Bibliography of American Culture [Micro and Ref E169.1.A471x]; American Culture Series 1493-1875 [Micro Z1215.A583]
American Periodical Series, 1741-1900 [Microfilm Unclassified] Index: [Micro Z6951.H65]
Early American Newspapers 1704-1820 [Microcard & Microfilm]
Library of American Civilization (LAL), 1609-1914 [Ultrafiche Unclassified] - Guide: The Microbook Library of American Civilization. Author, title and subject catalogs and biblioguide index [Micro and Ref Z1236.L5 1971]
Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 [Microfilm E303.A25x] - Guides:[Micro Z1238.B87] and index [Micro E303.A25x Suppl.]
There are many sources of information relevant to United States history in the Government Publications Department on the first floor of McWherter Library. Staff in the department will assist you in finding and using both electronic and print materials produced by various federal and state agencies. You can also get information through their web page at http://exlibris.memphis.edu/resource/unclesam.html.
Specific sites:
MarciveWeb DOCS: Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Historically Speaking
(Lists and links to texts of famous speeches.)
Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications
You may want to explore web sites using various internet resources or, if you have them, specific URLs. [See
Robert Harris's Internet Search Tips and Strategies ] The web sites
listed below are examples of the various types of information available via the Internet.
The History Cooperative - Created through the partnership of The American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the University of Illinois Press, and the National Academy Press. Provides the full text of current issues of the American Historical Review and the Journal of American History electronically to members of the AHA and OAH and to institutions that subscribe to the print versions of the journals. Back issues are available on JSTOR.
Library of Congress - This site includes not only links to the catalogs of the Library of Congress but also links to historical collections located at the Library of Congress, current legislative information, library exhibits, and other information useful for historical research.
An Outline of American History -
This site, produced by the United States Information Agency, gives an overview of the history and geography of the US with answers and links to frequently asked questions about symbols, statistics and states.
100 Milestone Documents - Compiled by the National Archives and Records Administration, and drawn primarily from its nationwide holdings. The documents chronicle United States history from 1776 to 1965.
US History Primary Sources and Major Websites Compiled by National History Day
History Links Library
Resources in History, Department of History, University of Memphis
WWW Virtual Library: History: United States
Tennessee Historical Commission
Guide to research in McWherter Library
Still can't find what you're looking for?
Try Ask A Librarian
For additional assistance, you may contact the liaison librarian for History:
Ed Frank
Phone: 901.678.8242
Email: efrank@memphis.edu
Related Research Guides
Black History & Culture | African American Literature | World History
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Memphis
Updated December 8, 2004
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