Research Resources: Class Guides

AMS 350: Studying the American Experience

Researching in Libraries:

>indexing, cataloging

>locating, retrieving/accessing

>creating new knowledge by using and attributing sources ethically and legally

Consider: language variations used in...all of the above!

Consider: physical nature of the item to determine where your search begins:

• Book/Monograph = Library Catalog to confirm holdings and obtain a description

• Periodical/Magazine/Journal/Newspaper Articles = print or online index, and/or online archive, to discover publication contents, description and method of access

• Government Information = respective agency web site, depository library-catalog, plus government and/or commercially produced indexes and finding aids. Libraries vary in methods of catalog representation and physical organization. Most government publications are assigned a unique Superintendent of Documents (SuDoc) number, which can be useful for locating the item in depository libraries.

Searching catalogs and indexes to discover location & descriptive information

NOTE: When searching non-United States specific sources: to increase the likelihood of discovering materials related to American Studies, include the phrase "united states" as part of either a key/word or subject search.

• Books: Library Catalog, WorldCat [EZ-Borrow if necessary; ILL if not available via EZB]
  
  
• Articles: Library Web Site: A-Z list of indexes/databases and/or Subject Guides: American Studies [ILL if necessary]
  • America: History & Life
  • JStor > Disciplines featured: American Studies, African American Studies, American Indian Studies
  • Project Muse
  • Humanities Full Text
  • Social Sciences Full Text

Primary sources:

• Books: Library Catalog, WorldCat: [EZ Borrow if necessary; ILL if not available via EZB]
  
  Library of Congress Subject Language for catalog searching for primary material:
  documents, interviews, correspondence, letters, speeches, diaries, narratives, sources, collections, maps, manuscripts, statistics, surveys, autobiographies
  
  
• Articles: Library Web Site: A-Z list of indexes/databases and/or Subject Guides: American Studies [ILL if necessary]:
  • Accessible Archives, 18th & 19th c. periodicals
  • American Broadsides & Ephemera
  • America's Historical Newspapers
  • HarpWeek: The Civil War Era, 1857-1877
  • The New York Times, 1851-2008
  • Nineteenth Century Masterfile
  • Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, Retrospective, 1890-1982

Locating library materials at F&M using location & citation data:

Articles: by format, as indicated via the Journal Finder

• Current/Active subscription = Periodicals Room, 1st floor
• "Bound" = Ground floor, south
• Microform (film/fiche) = 1st floor, behind Ref Desk
• Full-Text, Digital = by library subscription, free if available

Select Online Archives

Internet Archive
A digital library offering free universal access to books, movies & music, plus the Wayback Machine.

Lisa Stillwell, Information Literacy Librarian: lisa.stillwell@fandm.edu or 717.291.3844

Created: ls, 2/2012