Historical Investigation  

We have organized this guide as a pathfinder to selected sources for historical research.

Begin your research

Start your investigation with the Find Books tab. There are two options in the dropdown list:
 1) Reference Sources and 2) Search the Library Catalog.

1) Select the Reference Sources option for locating background information on a topic. Encyclopedias, both in print and online, provide an overview of a subject as well as identify authorities and scholars who have contributed to the field. Lists of books and articles in bibliographies at the end of an encyclopedia entry are often referenced as well.  You can then use those names and titles in book catalogs and databases to learn more about the subject.

2) Then, select the Search the Library Catalog option to locate books, videos and other media in the VSC and other libraries. There are tips on using the catalog to locate materials in our library collection using subject, author, title or keyword searches.

Update your findings

To locate more up-to-date information or articles in periodicals (newspapers, magazines, journals), use the Find Articles tab for easy access to databases.  There you will find instructions on developing search strategies and using database features. If an article is not available in full text online, in print in our collection, or in full text on the Web, you can place interlibrary loan requests using the information on that section of the site.

Please contact us with your questions about the research process.

The Willey Library Reference Staff